6.The story of uddalaka, upamanyu and veda.

The Suta said: “Parikshita Janamejaya was engaged in a long yaaga with his brothers at Kurukshetra. His three brothers were Sritasena, Ugrasena and Bhimasena. The dog Sarameya arrived there when he was present in that satra, after being beaten by Janamejaya's relatives, Sarameya lamented and went to his mother. Addressing the crying son, the mother asked: “Why are you crying? Who hit you?” Questioned by his mother, he replied: "Janamejaya's brothers beat me." The mother told him again: "Maybe they hit you because you really did some crime." He told her again: “I have not committed any crime. I didn't even look at Havis; Din't lick it."

On hearing this, his mother Sarame came to Janamejaya who was participating in the satra along with his brothers. Having filled with rage she told him: “This son of mine has not committed any crime. Why did you hit him? Just as you beat him who did nothing wrong, you too will experience unexpected fear in the future!” Janamejaya, who was told this by the dogs of the gods, was deeply saddened. He got engrossed in thinking deeply. Concluding that satra, he returned to Hastinapura and made a supreme effort to find a suitable priest who would pacify his sins and free him from the curse.

Once the Paarikshita Janamejaya had gone for hunting he came across a hermitage within the borders of his kingdom. There lived a sage named Shritasrava who was living with his son named Somasrava. That son of his was asked by Parikshita Janamejaya for priesthood. He offered saluttions to the sage and said: “Lord! Let your son be my priest.” To this question the sage replied: “Janamejaya! This son of mine, born of my tapoveerya, born in the womb of a serpent that drank my semen, is a great ascetic. He has the ability to pacify all your other sins by leaving the karmas against Mahadev. But he strictly observes only one rule. A Brahmin, whoever he may be, whenever a bramhin asks for anything, he gives it. If you are okay with this rule, take him away.”

Janamejaya replied, "Let it be as you say" and accepted him as his priest and came back saying, "I have chosen him as our teacher. Everything he said should be carried out without thinking about it," he ordered his brothers. His brothers did as they were told. Having thus ordered his brothers, he set out for Taxila to establish his rule in that country.In between this one sage named Dhaumya was living with his disciples namely upamanyu, aruni and veda.

One day he told his disciple Aruni Panchala, “Go. Build an embankment in the paddy field!” and sent him. Panchala Aruni, having thus received orders from his guru, went there. But he could not build an embankment in the paddy field. He found it hard. While thinking in this manner, he came up with an idea. "I will do like this," he said and laid down in a resting position in the paddy field. After some time Ayoda Dhaumya asked the disciples: "Where has Panchala Aruni gone?"

They replied: "He has gone to build an embankment in the paddy field as you yourself had sent." The guru said to his disciples, "Let us all go where he is." He went there and shouted in a loud voice: "Panchala Aruna! Where are you dear? Come here.” Hearing his guru’s words, Aruni came up from the paddy field, stood in front of his guru and bowed down and said: “I was in a canal with water flowing. Unable to stop the water in any other way, I myself laid across the canal and stopped the water from flowing. Hearing your voice, I got up and let the water flow. Lord! I bow down to you. Give the command. What shall I do now?”

Then the guru said: “You have stopped the flow of water by lying across the canal of the paddy field. Therefore let your name henceforth be Uddaalaka.” The guru graced him thus: “You will be credited for keeping my promise. You will become a genius in all the Vedas and all the Dharmashastras.” Hearing these words of his guru, he left for the country he liked. Another disciple of Ayoda Dhaumya was Upamanyu. He called Upamanyu “Vatsa Upamanyu! And sent him saying giving the task "Protect the cows". As promised to his guru, Upamanyu went to save the cows. After protecting the cows for the whole day Upamanyu went to his guru and bowed down to him and stood before him. Guru seeing that Upamanyu was robost asked him: “Vatsa Upamanyu! What do you do to be so robost?”

Upamanyu replied to the teacher: "I beg to fill my belly." The teacher again told him: "Bhiksha or the alms must not be eaten without offering it to me." After hearing this he again went to save the cows. After fulfilling his duty Upamanyu stood in front of his guru and bowed. The guru looking at Upamanyu who was looking robost still asked: “Vatsa Upamanyu! You have given me all your alms without keeping anything for you. How are you maintaining yourself now?”For which Upamanyu replied “I give the entire alms collected once and again I go or begging. This is how I fill my stomach”.

To which the guru replied: “This is not the right path for a disciple to follow a guru’s path. By begging a second time, you are hindering other beggars and burdening their bellies. Your behavior is ridiculous.” Hearing this, he went to save the cows. After saving the cows, he came back to his guru's house and stood in front of his guru and bowed. Seeing that he was still robost, the guru asked again: “I have taken all your alms, and you will not go begging a second time. Yet you are fat. What are you doing to fill your stomach?” Then he replied to the guru: "I am filling my stomach by drinking the milk of these cows."

To which guru replied: "It is not right for you to drink milk without my permission." Saying "I will do the same" he saved the cows and came back to guru's house and stood in front of the Guru and bowed down. Seeing him stout again, the guru said: “Not even asking for alms. Does not drink milk. However, you are stout. What are you doing to fill your stomach?" He replied to the guru's question: "I drink the froth of milk that comes out when calves drink from their mothers' udder."

To which guru replied: “Out of pity for you these calves shed more foam. In this way they reduce their food intake. It is not right to do this either.” "I will do the same," he vowed, fasting and going to herd the cows. He did not go begging, did not drink milk, did not lick cream. Once he was starving in the forest and ate arkapatras. His eyes were blinded due to its alkaline, pungent and thermal properties after consuming arkapatra. Blind, unable to find his way, he fell into a well. Seeing that he did not come, the guru said to his disciples: “Upamanyu may be annoyed by all my obstructions. That is why he is delaying his arrival.” Saying this he went to the forest where he called Upamanyu: “Upamanyu! where are you dear! Come here.”

Upamanyu heard that call and shouted in a loud voice: “Guru! I have fallen here in a well.” Then the guru turned and asked: "How did you fall into the well?" To which he replied: “I have become blind after eating arkapatras. So I fell in the well.” Then guru said: “Pray the Ashwini gods. They will restore your sight.” Accordingly Upamanyu began to praise the ashwini deities from the hymns in the Rigveda. “O Ashwini Devatas! You are the first to go to Yajna. Born following the nature of the horse race. Your brightness is equal to fire. You wear many forms with self-sufficiency. Your attention is wonderful. You are free of rajoguna and run your flight in all the worlds. I praise you with these words. You will sit in golden planes that fly like birds. Your face is golden. You give health energy. You save the heavenly relatives and devotees from danger. You don't lie. You were born from the nostrils of the sun god who was in horse form. Your noses are beautiful. You are the children of Surya and you are the doctors who successfully cure leprosy by the strength of your father. You give good complexion and eyesight. Just as a weaver removes the black hairs attached to the thread and weaves with clean thread, you remove the leprosy and give good Venus light.

Ashwini Devas! When a dog as mighty and swift as Garuda bit a female sparrow in the mouth, you rescued her and brought her back to life. In Somayaga you were prayed to protect the mischivieous cows, knowing that no one else but you two could watch over them even hough there were deities like Indra himself. 360 cows are milked according to their turn for a year and prepare the garma. As each cow is milked one day at a time to make garma, they all appear to be in separate barns. They are called by only one Ritvik called Adhvarya. The good garma thus prepared is dedicated to the Aswinidevatas by the Yajnikas. For the Chariot of the Universal Sun, time is only the wheel. Each season is a gross hub for that cycle. This wheel of time has a total of 700 spokes: 350 days and 350 nights. The remaining ten days and ten nights of the 360 days of the Savana season are joined as long rays to the track of this wheel.

A chariot cannot be moved by one wheel. So for another wheel idea has been made. Twelve months are like twelve half-years in the gross navel of wheel. The six seasons are the six nodes of that cycle. There is only one solid axle for that wheel. Such a chakra is run by Ashwini deities who are the protector of heaven and the basis of all deities. Thus the Aswini deities who run the chariot wheel of Suryadev, the basis of the world! Rescue me from my distress. Ashwini Devas! You treat with water because water has lunar energy which is beneficial to humans. You will also quickly cause the rains that can provide rice from Mount Meru. Ashwini deities go to Soma Yaga earlier than other deities. Sages and mortals worship these deities in turn. Devas and men praise you for your auspiciousness. The Ashwini deities manifest all the seven colors of sun rays at their respective times and make them cover the earth. These rays are curative and healthy for people. Gods and men praise them for this kind of glory. The Ashwini deities look very beautiful wearing lotus garlands. As Ashwini deities are the first to go to Somayaga, other deities except them do not receive their element. I, being without eyes worship such deathless and sacred Aswini deities in my mind.

The Ashwini deities were not born in their mother’s womb after 9 months. They were born as young lads from Aswarupa Surya. A mother's gestation of nine months is only for human babies, who have little vitality and life-span. After birth there is a desire for mother's milk for their life. It is not the same with gods. So ever-young Ashwini Devas! You who are able, grant me eyesight to lead a happy life.”

When they were thus praised, the Ashwinis came there and said: “We are in love with you. Eat this.” Hearing this Upamanyu replied: “Your vows can never be false. But I cannot eat this without giving it to my Guru.” To which the Ashwini deities replied: "In the past, even your teacher, when he praised us, we had given this eatable and he did not give it to his teacher. You also do as your Guru did.” Hearing their words, he again said: “O Ashwinis! I ask for your forgiveness. I cannot eat it without first giving it to my guru.” Then Ashwinis said: “We are loved by your Gurubhakti. Your master's teeth are like black iron. Yours will be gold. Your sight will also come back. And you will have good credit in the future.” After Ashwinis said this, Upamanyu regained his vision and came to his guru and narrated all that had happened. He too was very fond and said: "As the Ashwinis say, you will have great merit. All the Vedas will become genius in you." It was the test of Upamanyu.

Another disciple of Ayoda Dhaumya was Veda. To him the guru ordered: “Veda! Come here you will have to nurse in my house for some time. You deserve credit.” On hearing this, Veda became engaged in the service of his guru in gurukula for a long time. Day after day, without complaining, he endured the sufferings of cold and heat, hunger and thirst like an ox tied to bear a heavy load. After a long time his master was satisfied. Due to his contentment, he acquired credit and omniscience. It was a test for veda. After completing the Gurukulvasa and taking permission from the guru, he became a householder.

Three disciples also lived in his house. He never once told his disciples to do work or do service to their guru. Knowing the sufferings of Gurukulavasa, he did not want to cause hardship to his disciples. Once in a while the Kshatriya Janamejaya and Paushya would come and appoint Veda as a teacher. One day, while leaving for Yajnakarya, he called a disciple named Uttanka and said “Uttanka! Whatever needs to be done in my house, you should do it without neglecting it. Thus ordering Uttanka Veda went on a journey. Uttanka, who had set his mind on the service of his guru, lived in Gurukula. While he was living there, one day the women of guru's house came and said: “Your guru’s wife is menstruating. There is no teacher. Make her period not useless.” He replied to the women who said: “It is not proper for me to listen to women and act. My guru has given me a message that no wrongdoing should be done by you.”

In due course his teacher returned home from his tour. He was happy to hear everything that happened. Guru said: “Vatsa Uttanka! Do what would you like me to do for you? You are nursing me with dharma. This has increased love for each other. You are allowed to go. May everything be done for you. Go.” Hearing this, he replied: “It is said that whatever is given unjustly or whatever is taken unjustly, there will be enmity between them, or one of them will die. So I want to take your permission and give you the Gurudakshina that you like. So what you like me to do?”

Guru said: “Vatsa Uttanka! Then wait a little longer.” After some time Uttanka again asked: “What do you like for your gurudakshina? Please give me permission.” The teacher replied: “Vatsa uttanka! You have asked me many times about Gurudakshina. Then go. Ask what my wife desires for as a gurudakshina, and bring that." Hearing these words of guru, he went to his guru’s wife and asked: “My guru has sent me to ask you what you want as Gurudakshina. Please tell me what you want as gurudakshina.” On hearing this, the wife of his teacher replied to Uttanka: “Go to King Paushya and ask for the Karnakundalas of his concubine and bring them. The fourth day from today is the day of holy day of vrata. I will wear those kundalas and offer dinner to brahmins. Hurry up.”

Uttanka left. On the way he saw a huge man riding a huge bull. The man said to Uttanka: “Uttanka! Eat the dung of this bull.” When he refused, the man repeated: “Uttanka! Eat this Don't worry. Your teacher has also eaten this in the past.” Hearing this, Uttanka said, "It is done" and drank the bull's dung and urine and proceeded to the Kshatriya's place. Seeing him seated, Uttanka greeted him with blessings and said: "I have come to ask something from you." Then welcoming him “Bhagavan! I am Paushya. What you want me to do?” He asked. Uttanka said: “I have come here to take the Kundalas as Gurudakshina. You have to give your concubine’s karnakundalas or earrings.” Paushya replied to him: “Enter the room and ask her for the same.” He again told Paushya: “It is not right for you to lie to me like this. Even though I went to room, I did not find your concubine there.” Then Paushya replied: “You may be unclean. Remember the impure can see that concubine. Because of her chastity she cannot be found by the unclean.”

After thinking for a while, Uttanka said: "I must have urinated while standing while coming." Paushya replied: “It is not right to urinate while walking or standing.” Then Uttanka sat facing towards the east, washed his hands and feet, and without making a sound, drank water three times to reach his heart, touched his face, eyes, ears and nose with water twice, and entered the room. Then the concubine appeared. Seeing Uttanka, she stood up and bowed, “Bhagavan! You are welcome. Tell me what to do" she said. Then he said: “I am asking these Kundalas of yours for Gurudakshina. They should be given.” Affected by his good-will, she unrolled the kundalas ie her earrings and gave them to him, knowing that she could not refuse as he was a good charactered fellow and she said again: “Even Nagaraja Takshaka has asked for these kundalas So carry these carefully.”

Hearing this from concubine, he replied: “Don't think about it. Nagaraja Takshaka cannot defeat me.” Saying this to the concubine, he came to Poushya. Seeing him said: “Paushya! I am pleased.” Paushya replied: “For your good character, the opportunity to give you charity is rare. You are a good guest. So want to do Shraddha. Stop for a while.” To him Uttanka replied: “I am in a hurry. So I want the required rice etc. to arrive soon.” Agreeing to this, he gave him a meal of convenient food. Uttanka, seeing hair in the rice, knew that it was impure and said to Paushya: "You will become blind in future because I have been fed unclean food." To which Paushya replied: "You will not have children because you have blamed pure food." Then Paushya, after examining the rice given to him, found it really cold, and because it was prepared by another woman, there was hair in it: “Lord! Out of ignorance I gave you the hairy rice. Forgive. Don't make me blind.”

Then Uttanka said: “What I have said will not be false. You become blind in a short time. And after that your eyesight will be restored shortly. Now you take back your curse." Then Paushya said: “I cannot take back the curse. My anger still did not subside. Don't you know this? A Brahmin's heart is like butter but speech is like a sharp sword. On the contrary, a Kshatriya's speech is like butter and his heart is like a sharp sword. My heart is still sharp and unable to take back the curse. You may go now.” Uttanka said: “You yourself saw that the food given to me was impure. Therefore your curse will not be effective against me” Saying this, Uttanka took the kundalas and left. On the way he saw a naked beggar coming towards him, and that beggar could be seen for one moment and disappeared the next. Then Uttanka placed the kundalas on the earth and went into the water. Meanwhile, the beggar came quickly, picked up the kundalas and ran away. Seeing this, Uttanka also ran after him. Then he left his form and assumed the form of Takshaka and immediately dug a big hole in the ground. He entered the burrow and went to his home in Nagaloka.

Uttanka also entered the same burrow. He entered the Naga world and started praying to the Nagas. When the kundalas were not found despite the praises of the nagas, he saw two women weaving a cloth on a loom. There were black and white threads on it. There he saw six sons turning a wheel and a man riding a horse. Then in order to satisfy them all, he praised them with mantras. Then the man said to him: “I am delighted with your praises. What should I do to you?" He said: “Let the nagas come under my control.” The man said: "Blow into this horse's anus." He blew on the horse's anus. Flames of fire accompanied by smoke erupted from all the holes of the horse. The entire Naga world was on fire. Then Takshaka, who was excited with fear of fire, hurriedly grabbed the kundalas and ran out of his house and said to Uttanka, "You must accept these kundalas of yours." Uttanka accepted those kundalas and thought: “Today is that holy day as my guru’s wife said. But I have come too far. How could these be taken to her?” While thinking like this the man said: “Uttanka! You mount this horse. It will take you to your guru’s house in no time.”

Hearing this he mounted the horse and reached his guru’s house. His guru’s wife who was bathing and combing her hair, was about to curse him and was saying, "Uttanka has not come yet". At the same time Uttanka entered and bowed to the guru’s wife and said: "These are the Kundalas you have asked for." She replied: “Uttanka! You have come here at the right time. You are welcome. Good thing I didn't curse you. You deserve credit. May your wishes come true.” Then Uttanka went to his guru and bowed. Guru asked: “Vatsa Uttanka! Welcome to you. Why were you late?”

Uttanka replied to the teacher: “Swami! I was dragged up to Nagaloka by the Nagaraja Takshaka who caused a disturbance in my work. There I saw women weaving cloth with black and white threads. Who were they? And saw there six sons turning a twelve-spoked wheel. Who were they? I also saw a man on a horse. Who was he? The horse was very big. what was that? While going I saw a bull on the way. It was being ridden by a man. He yearns for me with love to eat bull’s dung. I want to know from you what that is too.”

Guru replied: “Those women are Dhata and Vidhat. Those black and white filaments are night and day. That cycle of twelve spokes, which was rotated by six kumaras, was a year and six seasons. That man is Parjanya and the horse is Agni. The bull you saw on the way was Iravata, the king of elephants. Indra was riding on it. And the dung of that bull which you ate is nectar amruta. With the help of my friend Indra, you did not experience any trouble in Naga Bhavan. It is by his grace that you have returned with the kundalas. You can go now. You have my permission. You deserve credit.” Bidding farewell to his guru, Uttanka, enraged at Takshaka, left for Hastinapura with the intention of taking revenge on him. Immediately after reaching Hastinapura, Uttanka went to King Janamejaya. Returning from the conquest of Taxila, the conqueror, surrounded by ministers, saw the right moment and said in a loud voice:

“Leaving the main task to be done, you are just lazing around doing something else like a small boy.” King Janamejaya, replied. “I am following my kshatriya dharma of taking care of the citizens. You explain what work you are talking about” Hearing these words the greatest of saints, said to the king: “Nripotam! You have a task of your own. You must take revenge on that evil snake by whom your father was tormented and I am talking of Nagendra Takshaka. In my case, the time has come to revenge for the death of your great father. That innocent king became one with the Panchabhutas like a tree struck down by an evil spirit. That snake Takshaka, maddened by his strength, committed the sinful act of biting your father. He also sent back Kasyapa, who was coming to protect the immortal. Hey the king! In the Sarpasatra performed by you, that sinner should be burnt in the blazing fire. By this you will be taking revenge for your father's death and also you happen to be doing a great job dear to me. Once when I was bringing Gurudakshina, that evil spirit Takshaka brought obstacles.” Hearing these words of Uttanka, the king became angry with Takshaka, just as when ghee is put into fire, it glows. The deeply saddened king, in the presence of Uttanka, inquired his ministers about his father's ascension. Hearing the story of his father the king was filled with grief.