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Genesis of Lord Brahma and His various creations
Lord Brahma, born of Lord Vishnu’s navel of lotus, first created seven Manasa Putras or mind-born sons-Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasishtha. Then came Rudra from His anger, Narada from His lap, Daksha from right thumb and Virini ( Daksha’s wife) from left thumb. Brahma also created the Sanaka Brothers ( Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanat Kumaras) as ‘Manasa Putras’. From Daksha, Virini gave birth to five thousand sons in two lots but on preaching by Narada, the sons left away in different directions and an angry Daksha cursed Narada to take rebirth from Virni.
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Then Daksha and Virini gave birth to sixty daughters of whom thirteen were married to Sage Kashyap, ten to Dharma, twenty seven to Moon, two each to Bhrigu, Aristanemi, Krisasva and Angira. Among the first lot of seven Manasa Putras, Marichi begot Sage Kasyapa -who married the thirteen daughters of Daksha and Virini- and the Sage was responsible for wide ranging Kasyapi creation of Danavas, Devas, Yakshas, reptiles, animals, birds and so on. Among Devas, the most significant son was Sun or Vivasvan and his son was Vaivasvanta Manu. Besides Ikshvaku who was the eldest, Vaivasva Manu had other important sons viz .Nabhaga ( Ambarisha was his famous son who was a just and religious King), Dhrishta ( Dhrashtaka was his son who attained Brahmana Stature though he was a Kshatriya), Saryati ( Anarta was his son and Sukanya was the pretty daughter married to Chyavana Rishi, who was old and blind but Awsini brothers gave eye sight and youth owing to her good character and chastity), Narisyanta, Pransu, Nriga, Dishta, Karusa and Risadhra. Ikshvaku had one hundred sons, Vikuski being the eldest.
King Janamejaya requested Maharshi Veda Vyasa to kindly describe why King Saryati’s beautiful daughter Sukanya married a blind and old Sage Chyavana. It so happened that the smart princess visited a garden along with her playmate girls. She was attracted to a bush from which there came an interesting illumination of star like twinkling; she pricked a dried piece of a tree branch and pierced into it. Immediately there came out a blood stream and a loud sound of human cry. Sukanya and mates ran away. She narrated the incident to her father who was afraid of the situation as that happened to be the hermitage of Sage Chyavana; as a result the urine and stools of the entire army of the King stopped. King Saryati approached and profusely apologised to Sage Chyavana who was performing severe Tapasya with eyes open for hundreds of years and he was blinded because of his daughter’s foolishly inquisitive nature. The King offered that her daughter was prepared to look after the blind Sage and if he agreed she would marry him. Thus the pretty and youthful Sukanya had willingly married the blind and old Sage and served him with great devotion. After a few years, two Aswini Kumars passing by, appreciated her service and dedication and offered to get back her husband’s eyesight as also his youth on one condition that when the Sage took bath in a lake nearby she should identify and recognise him as besides him they too would be just similar to pop up from the water. This test was indeed tough and Sukanya sincerely prayed to Devi Bhagavati to help her through the test. Her prayers were well answered and Sukanya did recognise the real Sage as there was a concentrated radiance of Sattva Guna that distinguished him from the other two. The Sage was delighted as he got back his sight and a clear impossibility of youth and sought a return gift from the Aswini brothers who desired to have a cup of Soma Rasa ( Elixir) from heavens. Chyavana Muni performed ‘Agnistoma’ Sacrifice but the Soma Rasa was refused by Indra, since the Divine Physicians were not eligible. A mantrik fight became inevitable as a Deity bestowing magical powers, named Kritya, was invoked by the Sage who created a frightful demon, Mada, created havoc in heavens and all the Devas were unable to control him. Indra had to yield to Aswini brothers’ request and the invincible demon Mada had to be disintegrated into four parts, viz.a sexy female, drinking, gambling and hunting.
Reverting back to Saryati, his grand daughter Revati was as well known as Sukanya; Anarta was Sukanya’s brother whose son was Revata who in his turn had one hundred sons and a daughter Revati. As Revata approached Lord Brahma through prayers for a suitable match for Revati, the latter suggested that Revati be brought to Brahmaloka. In this context, King Janamejaya raised a pertinent question to Maharshi Veda Vyasa whether it would ever be possible for Revata to imagine that he and his daughter Revati could visit Satyaloka for bridegroom hunting! Veda Vyasa confirmed that it was indeed possible to do so during that age. There were several instances in the past, that Danavas travelled Amaravati of Indra, Satyaloka of Brahma and Kailasa of Maha Deva. Arjuna reached Amaravati and stayed there for years. Thus in the present case, Brahma asked Revata and Revati to meet the former. But by the time they reached there Brahma was busy attending a musical concert and as this was over Brahma told Revata that the possible names suggested by Revata as ideal grooms and their sons and grandsons were long back dead and gone as they were then going through the twenty seventh Vivasvata Manvantara of Dvapara Yuga. Brahma suggested however the name of Balarama who along with Krishna would soon be born and Balarama the incarnation of ‘Ananta Deva’ would be a suitable bridegroom. As the father and daughter reached Bhuloka , Revati was happily wedded to Balarama, as ordained by Brahma. Maharshi Veda Vyasas explained that in Satya loka, there were no concepts of time, distance, age, disease and death as were applicable in Bhu loka. |