The Dog & The Sons of King Parikshit | Adi Parva, Paushya Parva, Chapter 3.1
After hearing the introductory lamentations of King Dhritrashtra, the descriptions of how the Mahabharata has been passed down, and the Summary of the Parvas and story by Suta Goswami, we will now enter the first story, which creates a domino effect of backstories. These backstories occur after the advents of Krishna, the Pandavas, and Kauravas, leading to the recitation of the Mahabharata to the great grandson of the immortalised hero Arjuna, King Janamejaya.
The story starts by going back, to the future; the Pandavas have vanquished the Kauravas in a hard fought battle; Yuddhistira has ruled the Kuru Kingdom for 36 years, and he and his brothers have ascended to the Heavens after installing the grandson of Arjuna, Parikshit. Parikshit and his wife, Madravati have 5 children. 4 boys, and a girl. Their eldest being Janamejaya. Born second is Srutasena, and third, named after his heroic great grand-uncle, Bhima, is Bhimasena; and then Ugrasena. Finally, a girl is also said to be born, called Uttara, after her grandmother.
After being installed to the Kuru throne when he was 36 years old, and reigning for 60 years, King Parikshit had a complication with the young Sage Rishi Sringha, who cursed him to die. After his death, Janamejaya took to the throne.
And here is where the Suta begins his story…
Janamejaya, the eldest son of Parikshit, was with his brothers attending a sacrifice on the plains of Kurukshetra, the vast raft of land where his ancestors had slain the Kauravas, and that where the warrior sage, Parasurama had created the five lakes of blood, the Samantha Panchaka, having destroyed the race of Khastriyas twenty-one times. It is also on that site, that the Pandavas had performed rites, before the Battle of Kurukshetra.
As Janamejaya and his three brothers were sitting at the sacrifice, there arrived at the spot an offspring of Sarama, the celestial dog. And belaboured and tormented by the brothers of Janamejaya, who threw stones at the young dog, he ran away to his mother, crying in pain. And his mother seeing him crying exceedingly asked him, ‘Why criest thou so? Who hath beaten thee? And being thus questioned, he said unto his mother, ‘I have been belaboured by the brothers of Janamejaya.’ And his mother replied, ‘Thou hast committed some fault for which hast thou been beaten!’ He answered, ‘I have not committed any fault. I have not touched the sacrificial butter with my tongue, nor have I even cast a look upon it.’
His mother Sarama hearing this and much distressed at the affliction of her son went to the place where Janamejaya with his brothers was at his long-extending sacrifice. And she addressed Janamejaya in anger, saying, ‘This my son hath committed no fault: he hath not looked upon your sacrificial butter, nor hath he touched it with his tongue. Wherefore hath he been beaten?’
They said not a word in reply; whereupon she said, ‘As ye have beaten my son who hath committed no fault, therefore shall evil come upon ye, when ye least expect it.'
Janamejaya, thus addressed by Sarama, became exceedingly alarmed and dejected. And after the sacrifice was concluded returned to Hastinapura, and began to take great pains in searching for a Purohita, or priest who could by procuring absolution for his sin, neutralise the effect of the curse.
“One day Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit, while hunting, observed in a particular part of his dominions a hermitage where dwelt a certain Sage of fame, Sruta-srava. He had a son named Soma-srava deeply engaged in asceticism. Being desirous of appointing that son of the Sage as his priest, Janamejaya, saluted the Sage Sruta-srava and addressed him, saying, ‘O possessor of the six attributes, let this thy son be my priest.’
The Sage thus addressed, answered Janamejaya, ‘O Janamejaya, this my son, deep in ascetic devotions, accomplished in the study of the Vedas, and endued with the full force of my asceticism, is born of the womb of a she-snake that had drunk my vital fluid. He is able to absolve thee from all offences, save those committed against Mahadeva, Shiva. But he hath one particular habit; he would grant to any Brahmana whatever might be begged of him. If thou canst put up with this, then thou take him.’
Janamejaya thus addressed replied to the Sage, ‘It shall be even so.’ And accepting him for his priest, he returned to his capital; and he then addressed his brothers saying, ‘This is the person I have chosen for my spiritual master; whatsoever he may say must be complied with by you without examination.’
And his brothers did as they were directed. And giving these directions to his brothers, the King Janamejaya marched towards Takshya-shila, and brought that country under his authority.
The Mahabharata begins in this way with a small story, but one that illustrates themes, many of which will continue:
Injustices, no matter how small, do not vanish into thin air: the puppy of Sarama was young, there may have been many such puppies around, but the miscalculation on the part of the brothers of Janamejaya attracted a chain reaction of events, to which no one can tell how big or small these will end up being.
Whilst we may have a bias, we can be conscious in addressing it: Sarama asked her son, what did you do wrong? He said he did nothing, and she then went in a fit of rage seeking to clarify the situation and bring justice to it. Though her questioning assumed her son may have done something, she took steps to clarify. She did not ignore it, or wish it away, or tell her son off for causing trouble with the highly esteemed royal family.
We should go into things with our eyes open: the Father of Somasrava who the King sought out, Strutasrava cited that whilst his son is highly ascetically and devotionally elevated, he cannot refuse a Brahmana what a Brahmana may ask for. This shows the vetting process before fixing a royal dependency on the new priest. It was a risk, and one that was accepted in this case, at this stage. How would it manifest? There is no certainty.
The Master & the Three Disciples | Adi Parva, Paushya Parva (Chapter 3.2)
At around the same time, as a parallel story, there was a Sage called Ayoda-Dhaumya. Ayoda-Dhaumya had three disciples, Upamanyu, Aruni, and Veda.
Test of Aruni: The sage firstly asked Aruni, to go and stop a breach in the water-course of a certain field. Aruni, thus ordered by his preceptor, repaired to the spot. And having gone there he saw that he could not stop up the breach in the water-course by ordinary means, and was therefore distressed. After contemplation, he thought, ‘Well, I will do it in this way.’ He then went down into the breach and lay down himself there. And somehow the water became confined.
And some time after, the preceptor Ayoda-Dhaumya asked his other disciples where Aruni of Panchala was. And they answered, ‘Master, he hath been sent by yourself saying, ‘Go, stop up the breach in the water-course of the field,’ Thus reminded, Dhaumya, addressing his pupils, said, ‘Then let us all go to the place where he is.' And having arrived there, he shouted, ‘Oh, Aruni of Panchala! Where art thou? Come hither, my Child!’ And Aruni hearing the voice of his preceptor speedily came out of the water-course and stood before his preceptor. And addressing the latter, Aruni said, ‘Here I am in the breach of the water-course. Not having been able to devise any other means, I entered myself for the purpose of preventing the water running out. It is only upon hearing thy voice that, having left it. I salute thee, Master; tell me what I have to do.'
The preceptor, thus addressed, replied, ‘Because my words have been obeyed by thee, thou shalt obtain good fortune. And all the Vedas shall shine in thee.’
Test of Upapmanyu: Dhaumya next appointed Upapmanyu, saying, ‘Go, my child, Upamanyu, look after the kine.’ And according to his preceptor’s orders, he went to tend the kine. And having watched them all day, he returned in the evening to his preceptor’s house and standing before him he saluted him respectfully. And his preceptor seeing him in good condition of body asked him, ‘Upamanyu, my child, upon what dost thou support thyself? Thou art exceedingly plump.’ And he answered, ‘Sir, I support myself by begging'. And his preceptor said, ‘What is obtained in alms should not be used by thee without offering it to me.’
And Upamanyu, thus told, went away. And having obtained alms, he offered the same to his preceptor. And his preceptor took from him even the whole. And Upamanyu, thus treated, went to attend the cattle. And having watched them all day, he returned in the evening to his preceptor’s abode. And his preceptor perceiving that he still continued to be of good condition of body said unto him, ‘Upamanyu, my child, I take from thee even the whole of what thou obtainest in alms, without leaving anything for thee. How then dost thou, at present, contrive to support thyself?’ And Upamanyu said unto his preceptor, ‘O Master, having made over to you all that I obtain in alms, I go a-begging a second time for supporting myself.’ And his preceptor then replied, ‘This is not the way in which thou shouldst obey the preceptor. By this thou art diminishing the support of others that live by begging. Truly having supported thyself so, thou hast proved thyself covetous.’
Upamanyu, having signified his assent to all that his preceptor said, went away to attend the cattle. And having watched them all day, he returned to his preceptor’s abode. His preceptor observing that he was still in healthy condition, said again unto him, ‘Upamanyu, my child, I take from thee all thou obtainest in alms and thou dost not go a-begging a second time, and yet art thou in healthy condition. How dost thou support thyself?’ And Upamanyu, thus questioned, answered, ‘O Master, I now live upon the milk of these cows.’ And his preceptor thereupon told him, ‘It is not lawful for thee to appropriate the milk without having first obtained my consent.’
Upamanyu having assented to the justice of these observations, went away to tend the kine. And when he returned to his preceptor’s abode. And his preceptor seeing that he was still fat, said, ‘Upamanyu, my child, thou eatest no longer of alms, nor dost thou go a-begging a second time, not even drinkest of the milk; yet art thou fat. By what means dost thou contrive to live now? And Upamanyu replied, ‘Sir, I now sip the froth that these calves throw out, while sucking their mother’s teats.’ And the preceptor said, ‘These generous calves, I suppose, out of compassion for thee, throw out large quantities of froth. Wouldst thou stand in the way of their full meals by acting as thou hast done? Know that it is unlawful for thee to drink the froth.’
Upamanyu, having signified his assent to this, went as before to tend the cows. And restrained by his preceptor, he feedeth not on alms, nor hath he anything else to eat; he drinketh not of the milk, nor tasteth he of the froth! Poor Upamanyu, one day, oppressed by hunger, when in a forest, ate of the leaves of the Arka. His eyes being affected by the pungent, acrimonious, crude, and saline properties of the leaves which he had eaten, he became blind. And as he was crawling about, he fell into a pit. And upon his not returning that day when the sun was sinking down behind the summit of the western mountains, the preceptor observed to his disciples that Upamanyu was not yet come. And they told him that he had gone out with the cattle.
The preceptor then said, ‘Upamanyu being restrained by me from the use of everything, doth not come home until it be late. Let us then go in search of him.’ And having said this, he went with his disciples into the forest and began to shout, saying, ‘Oh Upamanyu, where art thou?’ And Upamanyu hearing his preceptor’s voice answered in a loud tone, ‘Here I am at the bottom of a well.’ And his preceptor asked him how he happened to be there. And Upamanyu replied, ‘Having eaten of the leaves of the Arka plant I became blind, and so have I fallen into this well.’ And his preceptor thereupon told him, ‘Glorify the twin Aswins, the joint physicians of the gods, and they will restore thee thy sight.’ And Upamanyu thus directed by his preceptor began to glorify the twin Aswins, in the many words of the Rig Veda.
After some time, the twin Aswins, thus invoked, appeared and said, ‘We are satisfied. Here is a cake for thee. Take and eat it.’ And Upamanyu thus addressed, replied, ‘Your words, O Aswins, have never proved untrue. But without first offering this cake to my preceptor I dare not take it.’ And the Aswins thereupon told him, ‘Formerly, thy preceptor had invoked us. We thereupon gave him a cake like this; and he took it without offering it to his master. Do thou do that which thy preceptor did.’ Thus addressed, Upamanyu again said unto them, ‘O Aswins, I crave your pardon. Without offering it to my preceptor I dare not apply this cake.’ The Aswins then said, ‘O, we are pleased with this devotion of thine to thy preceptor. Thy master’s teeth are of black iron. Thine shall be of gold. Thou shall be restored to sight and shall have good fortune.'
“Thus spoken to by the Aswins he recovered his sight, and having gone to his preceptor’s presence he told him all. And his preceptor was pleased with him and said unto him, ‘Thou shalt obtain prosperity even as the Aswins have said. All the Vedas shall shine in thee.’ And so was the trial of Upamanyu.
Test of Veda: “Then Veda the other disciple of Ayoda-Dhaumya was called. His preceptor once addressed him, saying, ‘Veda, my child, tarry some time in my house and serve thy preceptor. It shall be to thy profit.’ And Veda having signified his assent tarried long in the family of his preceptor mindful of serving him. Like an ox under the burthens of his master, he bore heat and cold, hunger and thirst, at all times without a murmur. And it was not long before his preceptor was satisfied. And as a consequence of that satisfaction, Veda obtained good fortune and universal knowledge. And this was the simple trial of Veda.
And Veda, having received permission from his preceptor, and leaving the latter’s residence after the completion of his studies, entered the domestic mode of life. And while living in his own house, he got three pupils. And Veda, never told them to perform any work or to obey implicitly his own behests; for having himself experienced much woe while abiding in the family of his preceptor, he liked not to treat his own disciples with severity.
How well do we understand the need for discipline? Where do we draw the lines? Perhaps some may like to inflict what they’ve been through unto the next generation or others, whilst others may like to put an end to a cycle they deem as negative by being an alternative example. The story of Ayoda-Dhaumya and his three disciples, provide a good ground to contemplate this dynamic.
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