Yudhistira wanted to know why Rishi Agastya killed Vatapi. Rishi Lomasa shared the detailed story summarized below.
Ilava was a daitya living in the city of Manimati with his dear brother, Vatapi. They were the sons of Diti. One day, Ilava asked a rishi for a boon. He wanted a son equal to Indra. However, the Brahmin refused to give such a boon. This angered Ilava who hatched a plan to take revenge.
Ilava had already had a powerful boon that he could summon anyone dead and bring them alive. He asked his brother Vatapi to turn into an animal. Ilava then cooked the meat of this animal and served the Brahmin. He waited until the rishi had his food. Once done, he summoned his dead brother to return. The meat inside the rishi’s stomach became Vatapi. The daitya tore open the rishi’s body from the inside and came out. The rishi passed away, and Ilava got his revenge.
Soon, this became a pattern for the brothers. They started to kill several Brahmins at once in the same manner.
Meanwhile, Rishi Agastya, one day, saw his ancestors hanging upside down inside a dark cave. When he inquired about their state, they replied it was due to the lack of offspring. Agastya didn’t have children, which resulted in his ancestors being barred from the pitr world (this is similar to how Rishi Jarakatu had to marry to save his ancestors from pain). The rishi promised his ancestors that he would do the needful. However, he felt none of the existing women were suitable. He collected limbs from different dead people and arranged them to form the body of a woman. Using his tapasya powers, he installed life in the body. Agastya then handed over her temporary responsibility to the king of Vidharba who also wanted a child of his own. The king was delighted to adopt a lovely daughter and named her Lopamudra. He took great care of her for a few years.
Then, he decided it was time to get her married to a worthy man. Rishi Agastya went to the king and asked for Lopamudra’s hand in marriage. However, the king didn’t want to. Yet, he knew the rishi was powerful and couldn’t be angered. Lopamudra convinced her father to get her married to Agastya. After the wedding, Agastya asked her to discard her expensive jewelry and clothes and move with him into his humble hut in a forest. She did so, and the couple spent many years living in the forest.
One day, Rishi Agastya decided it was time to fulfill his promise to his ancestors. But Lopamudra said she wished to unite with her husband in a luxurious setting. When the rishi said he didn’t have the riches for it, she suggested he create a setting using his powers. The rishi replied that would deplete his tapasya power. Lopamudra thought about it and said that she loved him a lot but that her wishes were important. However, the rishi should find a way to fulfill her wishes without damaging his powers. The rishi agreed and asked her to wait while he completed the task.
Rishi Agastya went to King Shrutarvana and said he wanted riches but asked the king to give him a share without affecting others. The king listed his income and expenditure and requested the rishi to take whatever he wanted. However, Agastya refused to take anything since it would affect others in the kingdom (the income was enough for the expenses). Taking the king with him, Agastya went to King Vadhryashva and repeated the question. The result was the same.
With Shrutarvana and Vadhryashva with him, Agastya went to King Trasadasyu. The same thing occurred. All three kingdoms, though prosperous, had only enough wealth for their citizens and couldn’t afford to give a share to others without facing losses. Agastya didn’t want anyone to suffer on his behalf.
The rishi then took the three kings to Ilava. The daitya king welcomed his guests with honor and cooked his brother Vatapi as a meal. The kings were afraid but Agastya assured them to not eat the meat and that he would consume all of it. Once he ate everything, Agastya belched loudly and digested the food. Ilava tried to call his brother back but it didn’t work. Vatapi was truly dead and consumed. Thus, Agastya killed Vatapi by consuming and digesting him.
Note: In Hindu households, elders teach kids to rub their hands on their tummies in clockwise directions three times and say ‘jeernam jeernam Vatapi jeernam’ three times. This is said to help digest the food easily. The metaphor has its roots in this story, indicating that a hearty meal consumed by kids would be as easily digested as Agastya digested the powerful Vatapi.
Ilava bowed to the rishi and asked what he wanted. Agastya asked him to give the four of his guests a share of his riches without affecting anyone in the kingdom. Ilava set a condition for this. He said that if Agastya could guess what he intended to give, the king would indeed do as asked. Rishi Agastya replied that Ilava intended to give each king ten thousand cows each and an equal amount of gold coins. He planned to give the double of it Agastya along with a golden chariot and two powerful and intelligent steeds. He added that Ilava should check the chariot and it was indeed made of gold. The daitya king had no choice but to give all of this to the kings and Agastya.
The kings took the rishi’s blessings and went to their kingdoms. Agastya took his riches to his wife Lopamudra. When she conceived, he went into the forest to resume his tapasya. Lopamudra gave birth to Dridhasyu (he was also called Idhmavaha as he carried large loads of kindling for his father’s yagnas).
Thus, Rishi Agastya killed Vatapi, got the riches his wife wanted, and saved his ancestors by having offspring.
When Rishi Lomasa recited the list of pilgrim sites the Pandavas should visit, he also mentioned the rituals to perform and the procedures to follow. Simultaneously, he shared interesting stories about events from the past that occurred in some of the sacred locations. The story of Gaya was one such episode.
Amurtarayas’s son, Gaya, was a supreme rajarishi who donated lavishly and conducted many yagnas. Mountains and mountains of food were made available for people to eat every day. Anyone who wanted food could eat in his kingdom. The king also ensured that the food was of good quality and tasty. In fact, whenever there was a yagna, the servers went around and asked if everyone had eaten to their fill as there was much food left for them to consume.
When he distributed gifts, the sound of Brahman rose to the skies and echoed everywhere. His fame spread everywhere as bards sang about his generosity. The gods were pleased with his sacrifices and offerings, so much so that it was hard for them to accept other offerings.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.png00Srivalli Rekha Mantralahttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngSrivalli Rekha Mantrala2025-02-27 09:05:012025-02-27 09:05:03The Greatness of Gaya – Stories from Aranyaka Parva
The love story of Nala and Damayanti is one of the famous episodes from Hinduism. When the Pandavas were in exile in Kamyaka forest, many rishis visited them to provide support. Rishi Brihadashva was one such visitor who cheered Yudhistira that hardships were faced by many kings and like them, he would also come out successful.
The rishi then narrated the story of Nala and Damayanti, which also has the dice game as a catalyst for trouble. In the end, Rishi Brihadashva taught Yudhistira the secrets to playing and winning the game of dice so that he wouldn’t yet again end up disadvantaged.
A long time ago, King Bhima of Vidharba was growing old without a child. No matter how many donations he gave or yagnas he conducted, he couldn’t have an offspring. One day, a Brahmin named Damana visited the king who treated him with the utmost respect and honor. Pleased, Damana gave a boon to Bhima and his wife that they would have the best daughter and three efficient sons as children.
Soon, the couple had four children – Damayanti, Dama, Danta, and Damana. Damayanti was the most beautiful and loving girl in the kingdom.
Meanwhile, Nala was a Nishada king, the son of Virasena. He was a handsome man loved by his citizens for his goodness and kind nature. He was also a terrific cook and loved to prepare feasts. He was devoted, truthful, and a wholesome king in every way.
One day, a flock of swans flew from Vidharba to the Nishada kingdom and were exploring the inner gardens of the palace when Nala caught one of them. The swans asked him not to harm them and in return, they would tell him about Damayanti and tell her about him. Thus, the swans acted as matchmakers and messengers between Nala and Damayanti. The duo fell in love even without meeting or seeing each other once.
Nala and Damayanti Get Married
King Bhima decided to organize a swayamwara for his daughter and invited all the kings of the earth. Narada and his nephew Parvata were traveling and carried this news to Indra who wondered why the kings were busy. Hearing Narada praise Damayanti’s beauty and qualities, the gods also decided to attend the swayamwara.
Meanwhile, Nala was also on his way to the swayamwara. The gods saw him and thought he was a good man to send as a messenger. After paying his respects, Nala asked if there was anything he could do. The gods introduced themselves as Indra, Varuna, Yama, and Agni and asked him to take a message to Damayanti that she should choose one of them as her husband. Nala requested them to send someone else since he was attending the same event. They reminded him that he promised. Disappointed but unable to argue, Nala reached Vidharba and snuck into the palace without difficulty. He met Dayamati and informed her about the message from the gods after introducing himself. She said that she loved him and wouldn’t marry anyone else. Nala didn’t want to anger the gods but she said they could get married without causing any disturbance and asked him to attend the swayamwara as he planned. Nala returned to the gods and shared the same information with them.
When the day of the swayamwara arrived, all the kings gathered at the sabha. Damayanti saw that the five men looked alike and the same as Nala. She guessed the gods had transformed themselves to look like Nala to test her. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t be sure. Damayanti bowed to the gods and said that she had only loved Nala and requested to help her if her love was pure. The gods accepted her request. Damayanti could see the shimmer of the gods’ real appearances and noticed that they were the only ones with a drop of sweat. The real Nala had sweat on his body like other humans in the sabha.
She walked to Nala and put the garland around his neck, indicating her choice of groom. The gods were happy to be a part of the celebrations and blessed Nala by giving him eight boons. Indra said Nala would see him at every yagna. Agni said he would appear whenever Nala called for him and gave him rich worlds. Yama gifted him the capacity to taste the essence of food and to always follow supreme dharma. Varuna gave Nala a fragrant garland and to appear whenever called. The gods then left the kingdom to return to heaven. Nala and Damayanti were married in a grand ceremony, and the couple went to the Nishada kingdom.
However, when the gods were returning to heaven, they came across Kala who said that he was going to attend Damayanti’s swayamwara. The gods said that they were returning from the same and she had chosen Nala as her husband. Unlike the gods, Kala was not pleased with the news. He was angry that she chose a mortal over the gods. Kala then decided to spy on Nala. He wanted to ruin Nala but didn’t get a chance for twelve years. Nala had no weaknesses nor did he do anything wrong. Nala and Damayanti had a loving marriage and two children (twins).
The Game of Dice
After twelve years, Kala got his chance. Nala forgot to wash his feet after relieving his bladder. In the evening, he rushed to perform the evening prayers. Kala quickly entered Nala’s body and took possession. Kala went to Pushkara, Nala’s brother, and advised him to play a game of dice with Nala. With Kala’s help, Pushkara could win the kingdom from his brother and get all the riches. A greedy Pushkara agreed immediately and sent an invitation to Nala.
Nala went. However, with Kala in his body, he lost his wealth, riches, kingdom, and everything. A messenger rushed to Damayanti to update her about the developments. She sent a message to Nala about an emergency but possessed by Kala, he didn’t respond. Afraid for her children, Damayanti quickly sent for Varshneya, their trusted charioteer. She packed her children and sent them to her parents in Vidharba to ensure their safety.
The dice game continued. Pushkara said Nala lost everything but he could stake Damayanti. This angered Nala. He removed his garments and jewelry and wrapped a small cloth around him. Nala walked out of the palace with Damayanti following behind attired in a single saree.
Before the citizens could react, Pushkara announced that he was their king and anyone who tried to help Nala would be killed. Nala and Damayanti went to the nearby forest and spent three days there. A hungry Nala saw birds in the forest and decided to catch them for food. He threw his garment on them but the birds flew away with it, leaving him naked. The birds taunted him that they were the dice and came to take away the garment.
Lamenting his state, Nala asked Damayanti to go to her parents while he found a way to overcome the troubles. However, she refused to leave him and said they would face the hardships together. Nala didn’t want to see his wife suffer in the forest. He reasoned that she would go to Vidharba if he left her. Tearing a piece of her saree, he wrapped it around him and walked away in the middle of the night. Thus began the painful parting of Nala and Damayanti.
Nala and Damayanti Go in Different Directions
The next morning, Damayanti was distraught and heartbroken to not find Nala anywhere. She realized he left her since she refused to leave him. However, Damayanti didn’t want to return to her parents. Instead, she decided to try and follow Nala or at least find him. Alas! The couple was not meant to meet for a long time. Damayanti went in a different direction.
Damayanti was first captured by a large boa constrictor that wanted to eat her. As she called Nala for help, a hunter appeared on the scene. Though he saved her, Damayanti noticed the hunter lusting after her. She was furious and prayed that the hunter would fall dead. Seeing the hunter collapse, Damayanti resumed her search and walked through the forest. She was tired after many days of walking. Resting on a slab of stone, she cried her heart out and went northwards. After walking for another three days, Damayanti saw a beautiful garden and some rishis. It was an ashram. She greeted the rishis and shared her sad story with them.
The rishis assured her that she would unite with her husband and they would regain their lost kingdom. They asked her to be brave and disappeared. Not knowing what to do, Damayanti resumed her walk. She soon arrived at a land with many trees, streams of lakes, mountain ranges, etc. She noticed a caravan and an assorted group of travelers. Seeing her, the people asked if she was the goddess of the forest, a yaksha, or an apsara and asked for her protection.
Damayanti replied that she was neither and was a sad woman searching for her unfortunate husband. She found out that the caravan belonged to King Subahu of Cedi and would soon resume its travel. She decided to go with them, hoping to find Nala somewhere. They traveled for a while and stopped to rest near a water source. A disaster occurred here as the elephants went on a rampage and trampled everyone. The traveling party blamed Damayanti for their misfortune. She left them and walked at random to reach the kingdom of Cedi. She was dirty, pale, weak, and wearing just half a saree that covered her body.
Damayanti in Cedi Kingdom
Damayanti walked to the palace to ask for help. The king’s mother spied her from the terrace. She immediately noticed that Damayanti was of a high upbringing and suffered some misfortune.
Damayanti replied that she was following the same vow as her husband and was hence a sairandhri, a maid. She said her husband lost everything in a game of dice and they have been separated. The king’s mother asked Damayanti to stay with her in the palace. Damayanti agreed but set three rules – she wouldn’t eat leftover food, she wouldn’t wash others’ feet, and she wouldn’t talk to other men. If any man behaves misappropriately, he would have to be punished. The king’s mother agreed immediately and told her daughter Sunanda to treat her new maid properly and spend a happy time with her. Damyanti finally had a place to stay where she was safe.
Nala’s Trials and Difficulties
Meanwhile, Nala had his share of adventures after leaving Damayanti alone in the forest. He walked deep into the woods and saw high flames. Hearing cries of anguish that seemed to be calling him for help, Nala rushed to the spot. The voice urged him to enter the center of the fire, which he did. There, he saw the king of snakes coiled and lying on the ground. The snake said it was Karkotaka, cursed by a rishi to burn in the fire. Nala could free it from the curse, and in return, the snake would help him. The snake shrunk to the size of a thumb. Nala picked it up and brought it out of the flames.
The snake said it would ensure Nala’s welfare and bit him. Nala instantly transformed into an ugly man with a hunched back. The snake took Nala’s form and informed him that his new avatar would protect him. Also, its venom would hurt the Kala inside him who was responsible for all his troubles. Additionally, no other snake or similar creature will ever harm him. Karkotata advised Nala to take the name of Bahuka and become a charioteer. It said he should go to King Rituparna’s kingdom (Ayodhya), impress the king with his knowledge of horses, and become his personal charioteer. The king was renowned for his proficiency in math and dice games. At the right time, Nala should exchange his knowledge with the king. The snake also gave him a few clothes to cover his body.
Nala thanked the snake and went towards Ayodhya. He sought an audience with King Rituparna and said that there was no one equal to him in horsemanship, artisanship, and cooking, and the king could use all his talents in exchange for a livelihood. The king hired Bahuka (Nala) immediately and assigned two men, Varshneya and Jivala, as his assistants. Nala spent the next few months in Ayodhya. While he was great at his job, he couldn’t stop thinking about Damayanti and was always sad. One day, the king asked for the reason, and Nala explained that he was separated from the woman he loved and considered himself evil for abandoning her.
Damayanti’s Message for Nala
Meanwhile, King Bhima sent search parties with Brahmins to different kingdoms to find his daughter and son-in-law. His grandchildren were safe in his kingdom, but he wanted to ensure the safety of his daughter. A Brahmin named Sudeva finally reached Cedi and spied Damayanti in the palace. He went to meet her and said he was her brother’s friend and her family was worried about her.
Damayanti recognized Sudeva and inquired about her people and her children (twins – a son and a daughter). She was so overwhelmed that she cried loudly. Sunanda saw this and informed her mother. The king’s mother stepped out to meet Sudeva. He told her everything.
Sunanda immediately ordered water and washed Damayanti’s face to reveal the birthmark between her eyebrows. She and her mother also wept. The king’s mother said that Damayanti was her sister’s daughter. They were the daughter of King Sudamna of Dasharna. She said that she saw Damayanti as a newborn. The king’s mother asked her to stay and live like a princess.
Damayanti thanked her for her kindness and said she was well-treated despite being a maid and would go back to Vidharba to see her children. The king’s mother arranged for chariots and gifted Damayanti clothes and jewelry. Sudeva accompanied her. In Vidharba, Damayanti was lovingly welcomed and taken care of by her parents and brothers. She reunited with her children. However, none of them still had any information about Nala, so the king ordered the search to continue. Damayanti asked the Brahmins to include a message from her when they searched for Nala. She said that anyone who responded to this would be her husband.
Her message was something like this –
“O gambler! O loved one! The one who sliced off half my garment! Where are you? You abandoned your beloved wife and she is still awaiting you, clad only in half a garment. She is tormented by grief and repeatedly weeps because of that sorrow. O brave one! Reply to her words. The husband is bound to protect his wife. You are learned in dharma. Why do you ignore these duties? You are wise and kind, born to a noble lineage. But I fear that you have now become cruel. O great archer! Show compassion towards me. You have often said compassion is the supreme dharma.”
(Note: Excerpt taken and edited from The Mahabharata translated by Bibey Debroy)
The Brahmins did as asked. They went to every city, every village, and said the words aloud. However, no one replied. After many weeks, they reached Ayodhya. Here, a deformed charioteer named Bahuka (Nala) heard the words and spoke to a Brahmin named Parnada. He inquired about their welfare and replied that women shouldn’t be angry with their husbands. Hearing this, Parnada returned to Vidharba to inform Damayanti. She thanked him and gave him many gifts, saying she would give even more once she united with her husband.
Then, Damayanti went to her mother and told her that she would ask for Sudeva’s help to bring Nala to Vidharba but that her father shouldn’t know about her plan. Her mother agreed. Damayanti asked Sudeva to go to Ayodhya and inform the king that her father was organizing another swayamwara for her to choose her second husband since no one knew if Nala was even alive and that this event would take place the next day.
The Second Swayamwara
Sudeva rushed to Ayodhya and announced in the court. King Rituparna decided to attend the swayamwara. However, the distance between the kingdoms was almost impossible to cover in a single day. He asked Bahuka if he could make it happen. Bahuka (Nala) was heartbroken when he heard the news. He wondered if his wife had truly forgotten his love and decided the best way to find out the truth was to go to Vidharba and see things for himself. He assured the king they could reach the kingdom in a day and selected the best horses for the ride. He also made Varshneya the second charioteer.
Yoking four horses to the chariot, they set out from Ayodhya to Vidharba. Seeing Bahuka handle the horses, Varshneya was amazed at his skill. He wondered if Bahuka was Matali or Salihotra in disguise or if it was King Nala who was known for his horsemanship. The old charioteer considered that Bahuka must have learned from Nala. But then, he wasn’t sure as his heart said Bahuka was Nala. After all, Varshneya was Nala’s charioteer before he lost the kingdom.
King Rituparna was also impressed by his charioteer’s skills and hoped to reach the swayamwara in time. They sped through the mountains, rivers, fields, etc. as if the chariot was flying in the air. At one point, the king’s upper garment fell to the ground. The king asked Bahuka to slow down the horses to retrieve the cloth. Bahuka replied that they had already traveled a yojana distance and it would take too much time to go back and bring it.
Kala Leaves Nala’s Body
Soon, they entered a forest and the king got distracted by a vibhitika (baheda) tree laden with fruit. The king said that he knew exactly how many fruits were on the tree. He confidently said the number of leaves and fruits on the tree was a hundred and one (101) more than the ones that fell on the ground. There was one more leaf and a hundred more fruits. Additionally, two branches had five crores of leaves. The fruits on it would be two thousand and ninety-five.
Hearing this, Bahuka stopped the chariot and got down saying he would count to confirm. The king replied that they didn’t have the time to delay and would give him anything he asked for if he took them to Vidharba by sunrise. Bahuka was determined to count, so the king told him to get it done quickly. Once he finished counting, Nala (Bahuka) praised the king and asked him to teach the skills. King Rituparna wanted to rush to his destination. Nala made a deal with him. He would give the king his knowledge of horses in return for the knowledge about math and dice games.
The king accepted the deal. Kala left Nala’s body. He was throwing up, sick from Karkotaka’s venom in him. Nala felt his weakness reduce. Kala took his original form to avoid being poisoned. Nala was angry and wanted to curse Kala. However, Kala asked him to control his anger. He said that Damayanti had already cursed him when Nala left her and the snake’s venom made his presence painful. Kala said that anyone who read Nala’s story would face no danger from him (Kala). He then quickly entered the vibhitika tree, which ended up with a bad reputation due to Kala’s presence in it.
Though Nala was freed of the fever in the form of Kala, he still had a deformed body instead of his original. They rode hard to reach Vidharba by evening. King Rituparna entered the capital city of Kundina, and the news reached King Bhima.
The sound of the chariot echoed throughout. Damayanti heard it too and knew it was Nala since his chariot made similar sounds when he drove. She rushed out of the palace to see the king and his two charioteers descend. Rituparna was greeted by Bhima who had no idea why the king of Ayodhya arrived without intimation.
Rituparna also noticed there were no decorations or indication that a swayamwara would take place the next day. So, he simply said he visited to pay his respects to the old king. Bhima welcomed him warmly, though he wasn’t sure of the reason.
Nala in Damayanti’s Paternal Kingdom
Bahuka (Nala) took the horses to the stables in the city. Damayanti didn’t know what to do when she didn’t spot Nala. For a while, she wondered if Varshneya rode the chariot. She decided to investigate further and sent her maid to the stables. Keshini, the maid went as ordered by her princess. She spoke to Bahuka and inquired about his health and other details. Damayanti had said she thought this deformed man was Nala. It was the maid’s job to find out.
Nala replied that they rode throughout the day when they got the news of Damayanti’s second swayamwara and said he was the king’s charioteer. Keshini asked about the third person. Nala replied it was Varshneya who was King Nala’s charioteer working for King Rituparna. He said no one except Nala knew where he was and that he was in a different form. He added that he never revealed his identity in any way.
Keshini then asked him to repeat the words he said to the Brahmin (Sudeva) and that Damayanti had been yearning to listen to it again. Nala sighed and repeated his statements. He started to cry. Keshini left him crying and went to her mistress to share the information. Damayanti was sure Bahuka was Nala and told Keshini to observe him closely. Keshini was to spend maximum time around him and make note of everything. After a few hours, the maid returned to the palace to inform Damayanti that Bahuka was no ordinary man. When the entrance was low, he didn’t bend. Instead, the entrance stretched for him to walk through. The vessels were filled with water when he looked at them. A bunch of grass lit up in flames when he wanted fire to cook.
Damayanti sent Keshini to steal some meat cooked by Nala. She tasted it and was even more confident that the deformed man was her husband. Then, she sent her children with Keshini. Nala saw them and rushed to hug his children who recognized him. He held them in his lap and cried. However, seeing Keshini, he handed over the twins to her and said that his children were the same age, and he missed them. He also asked her to leave since it was not appropriate for her to spend so much time around a stranger.
Damayanti went to her mother and updated her about the developments. She asked to help her meet Bahuka or let him meet her with or without her father’s knowledge. The queen went to King Bhima and told him everything. He understood why King Rituparna rushed to Vidharba. Bhima agreed to let Bahuka into his daughter’s quarters so they could meet in private.
Nala and Damayanti Reunite
Dayamati was in a red saree, with a dirt-streaked face and matted hair. She sobbed and asked if he ever knew a man who abandoned his wife in a forest. She said that she chose him over the gods and loved him so much but he left her.
Nala replied that it was Kala who made him abandon his wife. However, Kala had finally left his body. He added that he came to Vidharba only for Damayanti and asked how she could agree to marry another man.
Damayanti responded that she wasn’t planning to marry anyone nor was there any swayamwara for her. She explained it was a ruse to make him come to her since he hadn’t revealed his true identity even when the Brahmins went searching for him. Vayu Deva spoke from the sky to stand by Damayanti’s truthfulness and ordered Nala to get back with his wife. He blessed the couple. Nala transformed into his original radiant form. Damayanti cried and hugged her husband.
Later, the king and queen of Vidharba met the couple and were relieved to see them united. Bhima asked Nala to rest that night so they could discuss everything the next day.
The couple cleaned up well and rested that day. The next morning, dressed in finery, they paid respects to Bhima. The news spread in the city, and the citizens were delighted to see Nala again. Even King Rituparna was happy with the news. He congratulated Nala and asked for his forgiveness in case his stay in the kingdom caused any discomfort. Nala replied there was nothing to forgive as Rituparna took good care of his employees. They exchanged their knowledge about horses and dice games. Rituparna hired another charioteer and returned to Ayodhya.
Nala and Dayamanti stayed back in Vidharba for a month. Then, with Bhima’s permission, he went to his kingdom to win it back. Nala invited his brother, Pushkara, to a single game of dice staking Damayanti for the kingdom. Pushkara agreed immediately, hoping to win the beautiful woman. However, Kala was no longer around to cause trouble. Nala won the dice game and got back his kingdom.
Nala told his brother that it was Kala who decided the fate of the previous game. However, greed made Pushkara evil. Nala said Pushkara wouldn’t ever be able to see Damayanti. Nevertheless, he didn’t want to act like Pushkara. Nala gave his brother half the kingdom to rule and warned him not to lust after others’ belongings or people. Pushkara apologized and thanked Nala before leaving the kingdom.
King Nala of Nishada reclaimed the throne. The kingdom hosted a grand celebration. He went and brought his wife and their children to Nishada. Nala and Damayanti happily ruled the kingdom for a long, long time.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.png00Srivalli Rekha Mantralahttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngSrivalli Rekha Mantrala2025-02-25 08:51:332025-02-25 08:51:35The Story of Nala and Damayanti – Stories from Aranyaka Parva
After the Pandavas settled in Kamyaka forest, Krishna and others came to visit them and express support. Krishna said that he had to defeat Shalva and safeguard Dwarka, and didn’t know about Duryodhana’s evil plan to steal Indraprastha using the dice game. When he gave a short summary of the events, Yudhistira and Arjuna wanted to know how Krishna fought and defeated Shalva.
King Shalva was a close friend of Sishupala and considered him a brother. When he got the news of Sishupala’s death in Krishna’s hands, he launched an attack on Dwarka. Shalva had an airborne traveling city named Saubha. This allowed him to attack Dwarka from above (as no one could attack Krishna’s kingdom from land). Pradhyumna, Sabha, and other Vrishni warriors defended Dwarka successfully. Pradhyumna killed Vivindhya (Shalva’s favorite asura) and was stopped by the devas from killing Shalva as this was Krishna’s responsibility.
When Krishna returned to Dwarka, he got the news of this attack and went to challenge Shalva. He yoked his horses, Sainya and Sugriva, to his golden chariot and set out to find the traveling city of Saubha with Daruka as his charioteer. Followed by his fourfold army, Krishna traveled a long distance and crossed mountains, rivers, plains, etc., to reach Marttikavata. However, Shalva wasn’t there. Krishna found out Shalva was near the ocean. At last, they came face to face in the middle of the ocean.
This wasn’t an easy battle. His arrows somehow failed to reach Shalva and fell short of the traveling city. However, Shalva’s attack was ferocious and soon caused much damage to Krishna’s army. They could see anything clear as Shalva employed maya to create illusions. Krishna couldn’t even see his charioteer Daruka in the fog that surrounded him. Thousands of danavas launched at him and his army, taking advantage of the illusion.
However, Krishna kept firing his arrows which killed many danavas. Seeing this, Shalva increased his maya to confuse Krishna and gain the upper hand. Krishna countered the attack with his maya. The sky was full of suns and stars. It was hard to know the time (day or night). Krishna used the prajna astra to restore the setting and prevent confusion among his army. Shalva continued to fling hundreds of lances, spears, arrows, clubs, maces, and other weapons at Krishna, which the latter kept destroying.
Daruka was injured from all over his chest and arms. However, he continued to steer the chariot and control the horses.
Just then, Shalva went for his master plan with another illusion. A servant named Aruka walked to Krishna’s chariot and asked him to stop fighting. He said that Dwarka was under attack and Vasudeva (Krishna’s father) had been killed. For a while, Krishna was distraught and concluded that all his warriors (Balarama, Satyaki, Pradhyumna, Sabha, etc.) were also dead or they would have saved Vasudeva. Nevertheless, Krishna didn’t stop fighting or turn back. He continued to fire more arrows at Shalva while trying to make sense of the situation.
Then, Krishna saw Vasudeva’s disheveled form fall from Saubha city. This further confused Krishna. He could see no one, not even Shalva. Everything was hazy. Krishna realized all this Shalva’s maya intended to distract and weaken him.
Clearing his mind, Krishna tightened his grip on his bow and launched a fresh attack on Shalva and his danava army. He killed the demons in multiple batches. When they disappeared, he released an astra that could hit the target based on sounds. This caused even the invisible danavas to die and fall into the ocean.
However, the fight wasn’t over. Saubha, the city, kept moving from one place to another. It would disappear from here and appear at another far-off location. Krishna became invisible which terrified his army. He grabbed his vajra astra and reappeared in the sky. Daruka pointed at Shalva and asked Krishna to kill their enemy right away.
Daruka held the chariot steady as Krishna readied his agneya astra and invoked its powers by reciting the relevant mantras. The astra turned into Sudharshana Chakra and flew across the sky, shining like the second sun. It sliced through the city of Saubha, breaking into two parts. Once done, the chakra returned to Krishna. He sent it again, this time to kill Shalva. The chakra destroyed its target. Shalva was dead.
Krishna and Daruka, with the remaining army, returned to Dwarka. He saw that his family and other citizens were safe and none of them were dead.
Sishupala was ranting and raving about Krishna being offered the arghya for Yudhistira’s Rajasuya. Bhima was angry and wanted to kill the king of Cedi. Bhishma stopped Bhima and narrated the events related to his birth.
Sishupala was born with three eyes and four arms. He brayed like a donkey instead of crying like a human child. This terrified his parents, and they planned to abandon the newborn (as it was a sign that the child would bring destruction). However, a voice from heaven spoke. It said the child would be fortunate and become a warrior. The boy’s death would be in the hands of someone who was already born and brought his weapons into the world with him.
His parents requested a clue about who that person would be. The voice replied that whoever cures the deformity of the child would also be responsible for his death many years later. The then-king of Cedi called for a large celebration and sent invitations to everyone. When the guests arrived, he and his wife placed the baby Sishupala in each of their laps. However, there was no change in the baby’s body.
Krishna and Balarama also attended the event with Vasudeva. The Cedi queen was their paternal aunt (father’s sister). When she placed the baby in Krishna’s lap, the third eye vanished, and the extra arms fell off. Sishupala became a normal baby. Seeing this, his mother requested Krishna for a boon. When Krishna agreed, she asked him to pardon her son’s transgressions and not get angry at him. Krishna assured her that he would pardon a hundred of Sishupala’s offenses, even if they were bad enough to deserve death.
This meant Krishna had to wait until Sishupala committed more than a hundred crimes. It eventually happened during the Rajasuya. Krishna killed Sishupala with his chakra.
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When Sahadeva reached the ocean and the end of the land during his conquests, he thought of Ghatotkacha, Bhima and Hidimbi’s son. The rakshasa appeared immediately and bowed to his uncle. After inquiring about his well-being, Sahadeva asked Ghatotkacha to fly to Lanka and get a tribute from Vibhishana for Yudhistira’s Rajasuya. He asked Ghatotkacha to share the details and was confident that the king of Lanka would be happy to send gifts.
Note: This episode is not a part of the Critical Edition. We used Prof. P Lal’s Complete Edition as our source.
Ghatotkacha took Sahadeva’s blessings and flew across the ocean to land in Lanka. The kingdom was protected by high fort walls on all sides. He was mesmerized by the wealth and beauty of the kingdom. Gold sparkled everywhere on decorations and panels on windows, doors, etc. The grills were made of gold, silver, or ivory.
Drums sounded throughout the kingdom. The parks sparkled with lush trees and flowers. As Bhima’s son walked inside, he saw rakshasa guards carrying tridents. The women were beautiful and dressed in lovely clothes and fine jewelry. None of them were surprised or worried when they spotted a stranger.
Ghatotkacha quickly went to the palace and found a guard. He said that Sahadeva, the youngest son of Pandu, a Kuru ruler, had sent him to meet the king of Lanka. The guard went to inform the same to Vibhishana who granted the audience to the rakshasa.
Bhima’s son marveled at the decorations inside the palace as he walked through the corridors to reach the sabha. He could hear to soothing sound of veena playing somewhere in the palace. He then saw Vibhishana seated on a golden throne and stepped into the long court. Vibhishana looked like a celestial king wearing divine robes and a flower garland. Two girls in golden dresses were fanning him from both sides.
Ghatotkacha saw divinity and dharma radiate from the king. He bowed to Vibhishana in respect and introduced himself. Then, he shared Sahadeva’s message (by first providing the details of his Kuru lineage to help Vibhishana recollect the details). He said that Yudhistira had been ruling Indraprastha and planned to perform the Rajasuya. As a part of this, his younger brother, Sahadeva, conquered the kingdoms in the south and sent Ghatotkacha as a messenger to Lanka. Ghatotkacha also listed the accomplishments of the other Pandavas.
Vibhishana was impressed by Ghatotkacha’s eloquence. He already had a good impression of the Pandavas and was delighted to send his wishes for the yagna. He gave the largest tribute and sent his guards to carry everything wherever Ghatotkacha wanted. This included –
Gold, ivory, gem-studded things, expensive household items, thousands of hand-carved goblets, silver utensils, war weapons, pearls, fourteen palmyra trees to be planted at the palace gates, gem-studded palanquins, expensive coronets, gold armlets and armors, moon-white conch-shells, sandalwood and aloe-wood, woolen clothes, fine robes, and many other precious items.
Ghatotkacha took Vibhishana’s blessings and departed from Lanka with eighty-six night-ranging rakshasas carrying the tribute. They first landed at Sahadeva’s camp near the ocean shore. Ghatotkacha went back to his kingdom. The rakshasas from Lanka carried everything to Indraprastha. They returned to their kingdom after Yudhistira and Sahadeva expressed their pleasure at their service.
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Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pandava brothers, went southward as his older brothers took off in the other directions to conquer the earth for Yudhsitira’s Rajasuya.
Sahadeva’s first stop was the land of Shurasenas. From there, he went to conquer Matsya and moved on to defeat Dantavakra. After accepting tribute, he reinstalled the king on the throne and proceeded to fight Sukumara, King Sumitra, and then the Patachcharas. Sahadeva conquered the Nishadas and the region of the Goshringa Mountain before defeating King Shrenimana and another kingdom.
From there, he went to Kuntibhoja where he was welcomed with love. He proceeded to the banks of River Charmanvati and fought King Jambaka’s son. Sahadeva defeated the Bhoja and went southward. Extracting tribute at every stop, Sahadeva went towards River Narmada and defeated Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti. He moved on to Mahishmati and fought King Nila. This was a terrifying battle between both sides. The horses, chariots, and soldiers from Sahadeva’s army were blazing with fire. At one point, the youngest Pandava brother didn’t know what to do.
That was because the god of fire (Agni Deva) lived in Mahashmati and protected the kingdom. A long time ago, Agni Deva saw King Nila’s daughter during a yagna ceremony and fell in love with her. He disguised himself as a Brahmin to meet the girl. King Nila saw him with his daughter and was furious. Agni Deva revealed his true form, and Nila bowed to him. He willingly got his daughter married to the god of fire. Agni Deva blessed Nila that his kingdom would be safe from invasions and his army wouldn’t ever face fear in a battle. Additionally, the women in the kingdom no longer had to live with restrictions and had more freedom.
Sahadeva decided to appease Agni Deva. He purified himself with water and requested Agni Deva to not cause an obstruction to Yudhistira’s sacrifice. He sat on the ground with kusa grass right at the front to protect his army. The fire didn’t cross him to harm his troops. Agni Deva said that he was bound by his word to protect Mahismati as long as there was an heir to the throne. However, he also wouldn’t stop Sahadeva from achieving his goal.
Seeing Agni Deva retreat from Sahadeva impressed King Nila. He stopped the battle and welcomed the Pandava to his kingdom. Nila offered the tribute and promised to attend the Rajasuya.
Sahadeva went to defeat the Traipuras (Cedis) with King Potana and Ahriti, the king of Saurashtra. Sahadeva sent a missive to King Rukmin Bhishmaka of Bhojakata who responded in kind and offered the tribute. Then, he went to Shurparaka and Upakrita and defeated many clans ruling these lands. Next, Sahadeva moved towards Dandaka to conquer the mleccha kings, the man-eating nishadas, the Karnapravaranas, and the Kalamukhas (a cross between men and rakshasas) who lived along the Kolla Mountains.
His next stops were Murachipattana, the island known as Tamra, Mount Ramaka, and King Timingila. He sent messengers to rulers in the forests, and cities of Samjayanti, Picchanda, and Karahataka. Sahadeva used the same technique to subjugate the Pandyas, the Dravidas, the Chodras, the Keralas, the Andhras, the Talavanas, the Kalingas, the Ushtrakarnikas, the Antakhis, the Romas, and the city of the Greeks.
Nakula went westwards to conquer the kingdoms on this side while his brothers went in other directions. They had to conquer the entire world to make Yudhistira eligible for the Rajasuya.
Nakula’s journey followed Krishna’s earlier path as he conquered the same kingdoms. His first stop was Rohitaka, a land known for his cattle, grains, and wealth. He fought and defeated the Mattamayuraka warriors before proceeding towards the desert regions. This land was known as Sairishaka and was famous for its grain. Nakula’s conquests included the Maheccha, the Shibis, the Trigartas, the Ambashthas, the Malavas, the five groups of Karpatas, and the Brahmins Madhyamikaya and Vatadhana.
He then defeated the Utsavasamketa clans from the Pushkara forest, the Gramaneyas on the banks of River Sindu, and many clans of shudras and abhiras (cowherds) who lived alongside River Saraswati. Nakula proceeded to the land of five rivers and moved on to the mountains, the western Paryatas, the northern Jyotika, and a city named Vrindataka and Dwarapala. He defeated the Harhunas and other kings in the west.
As Nakula went further ahead, he sent a message to Krishna in Dwarka who along with ten other kingdoms in the region happily accepted Yudhistira’s rule and sent their tributes. From there, the fourth Pandava brother went to Shakala, a city in Madra. His maternal uncle, King Shalya, welcomed him and offered the tribute voluntarily. Shalya accepted the invitation to the Rajasuya yagna.
Nakula’s next stops were the kingdoms of fearful mlecchas, the Pahlavas, and the Barbaras alongside the ocean. He turned back to Indraprastha since there weren’t any kingdoms in the ocean.
Nakula brought so much wealth that even ten thousand camels could carry it with much difficulty.
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The four younger Pandava brothers went on the dijvijaya yatra at the same time to conquer the kingdoms. When Arjuna traveled north, Bhima went eastwards with a large army.
Bhima started with Panchala. Here, he didn’t have to fight. After accepting the tribute happily offered by his in-laws, he went on to defeat the Gandakis, the Videhas, and the Dasharnas. In Dasharna, King Sudharma fought and displayed his valor, that too without using any weapons. Bhima was so impressed that he made Sudharma the supreme general of his army and invited him to Yudhistira’s Rajasuya with respect.
From there, Bhima proceeded to Rochamana and his younger brother. Next, he moved south towards the Pulindas to conquer Sukumara and Sumitra. He went to Cedi where Sishupala welcomed him heartily. He agreed to pay tribute to Yudhistira and promised to attend the Rajasuya. Bhima stayed in Cedi for thirty nights as a guest before resuming his conquests.
Then, he vanquished Kumara Shrenimana and Brihadbala of Kosala. He defeated Dirghaprajna in Ayodhya, conquered the land of Gopalakaccha and the northern Sottamas, and fought the king of the Mallas. He also won Jaradgava along the Himalayan slope and defeated many nearby kingdoms. He also conquered Unnata and the mountains of Kukshimanta, before entering Kashi and defeating King Subandhu.
Next, Bhima fought and subdued King Kratha of Suparshva, the Matsyas, Gayas, King Mardavika, and King Mahidhara before turning northward towards the foothills. Here, he won over the Vatsas, the Bhargas, the Nishadas, and many lands owned by Manimana. Then, the second Pandava brother fought the southern Mallas and Bhogavanta. He went on to accept the truce of the Sharmakas, the Varmakasa, and King Janaka of Videha. Bhima stayed back in Videha for a while to defeat the kings from nearby kingdoms.
Bhima defeated the Suhmas and eastern Suhmas to reach Magadha where he was welcomed by Jarasandha’s son. Next, he went to Anga to fight Karna and defeated him. He conquered more kingdoms near the mountains and faced Modagiri. He also fought Vasudeva, the king of Poundra, and another king from the regions of Kaushiki. Next, Bhima conquered Vanga by defeating King Kacha. He fought Samudrasena and King Chandrasena of Tamralipta.
He journeyed along the ocean to defeat the mlecchas and reached Louhitya (Brahmaputra River) to conquer more kingdoms on the islands. Here, he extracted gems, sandalwood, garments, pearls, silver, coral, etc., as tribute.
Carrying all the wealth, Bhima returned to Indraprastha and filled the treasury.
Before the Rajasuya, the four younger Pandava brothers went in different directions to conquer the kingdoms and bring tribute to Indraprastha. Yudhistira stayed back and ruled the land. Arjuna went northwards, and his conquests were described in detail in Sabha Parva.
Arjuna set out with a large army after obtaining permission from his older brother and the blessings of the Brahmins. Armed with his inextinguishable quivers and Gandiva bow, he got into the chariot gifted by Agni Deva and rode ahead.
His first stop was the Kulinda (Kuninda), Anarta, and Kalakuta kingdoms. He appointed Sumandala as the chief of the rear end of his army and continued toward Shakala and King Prativindhya, one of the seven Dvipas. Arjuna fought an intense battle with the kings of Shakala and defeated them all.
From there, he proceeded to Pragjyotisha, ruled by Bhagadatta. They fought for eight days before Bhagadatta chose to make peace. He smiled and praised Arjuna for being a dominant warrior and offered him a gift. Arjuna informed him about the Rajasuya and asked for tribute. He also invited the king to attend the celebrations. Bhagadatta agreed to pay the tribute and said he was a good friend of Arjuna’s father (Indra) and was happy to do so.
Arjuna then went to the mountains, which were protected by Kubera. He conquered kingdoms in the inner, outer, and upper mountain regions. Next, he went to Kuluta, ruled by Brihanta. The king faced the Pandava with a fourfold army. However, he realized he couldn’t face Arjuna and agreed to a truce. He paid the tribute and accepted the invitation to attend the Rajasuya yagna.
Next, Arjuna defeated Senabindu, Modapura, Vamadeva, Sudamana, and Susamkula before reaching north Kuluta and conquering those kingdoms. He set up his army base in Divahprastha and fought King Vishvagashva Pourava. Defeating him, Arjuna tackled the even mountain-dwelling dacoit tribes known as Utsavasamketa. Then, he conquered Kashmir and Lohita kingdoms. From there, he went to defeat the Trigartas, the Darvas, the Kokanadas, the Abhisaris, and the Rochamanas, who lived in Urasha. He conquered the city of Simhapure, protected by Chitrayudhasura.
Arjuna continued his conquests and added the Suhmas and the Cholas (not the southern Cholas) to the list. He even defeated Bahlika and moved to subdue the Daradas and the Kambojas. He also tackled the bandits living in the forests in the northeast before fighting the Lohas, the Kambojas, and the northern Rishikas. After the battle with the Rishikas, he got eight horses in the color of a parrot’s breast.
Conquering the Himalayas and Nishkuta Mountains, he crossed the white mountains to the land of the Kimpurushas protected by Drumaputra. Another intense battle took place here. Arjuna then went to Hataka, protected by Guhyaka, where they signed a truce. Next, he went to Lake Manasa and visited the regions where rishis lived. From there, he conquered the lands of the gandharvas and got horses in the color of partridges and with speckles.
Arjuna traveled to the northern part of Harivarsha. However, the giant guards at the entrance informed him that he could not enter the protected lands. Anyone who entered those cities would have to die. They said they were pleased with his conquests and wished him luck. The land of the north kurus cannot have wars, and even if Arjuna entered, he wouldn’t see anything inside. They added that if he wanted anything, he could ask them, and they would give it. He respectfully replied that he wouldn’t enter if it was forbidden for humans. However, he needed a little tribute to take back as a sign of the kingdom’s support for Yudhistira’s Rajasuya. The guards gave him divine garments, ornaments, etc.
When he reached the end, Arjuna turned back towards Indraprastha with all the wealth and tributes he collected.
When Krishna visited Indraprastha, Yudhistira asked for his opinion about performing the Rajasuya yagna. Krishna said Yudhistira was worthy of the yagna, but first, they had to take some steps, such as killing Jarasandha of Magadha, freeing the other kings from imprisonment, and conquering the four sides of the earth.
Here, Krishna narrated the events related to the birth of Jarasandha and why he had to be killed by Bhima.
A long time ago, Brihadratha was the king of Magadha. He was a powerful warrior with three akshauhinis of the army – a handsome man with radiant energy like the sun. He married the twin daughters of the king of Kashi and loved them equally. He treated them as his equal partners and never showed preference or partiality to either. However, they couldn’t have children no matter how much they tried and how many sacrifices and yagnas they conducted.
One day, Chandakaushika, the son of Rishi Kakshivat, stopped at Magadha to stay in the kingdom for a few days. The king visited the rishi and paid his respects. He made proper arrangements for the rishi’s stay in the kingdom. Pleased with this, Chandakaushika offered the king a boon.
Brihadratha replied that he had decided to give up the kingdom and go to the forest with his wives as he was unfortunate to not have an heir. The rishi closed his eyes to meditate. Just then, a mango from the tree he was sitting under fell into his lap. The rishi offered the mango to Brihadratha and told him to give it to his queen. He recited a mantra to charge the fruit and said it would give him a son.
Since Brihadratha had two wives, he cut the mango into two equal parts and gave one piece each to them. Soon, the queens conceived and were delighted. However, they gave birth to two half-formed babies. Each part has one hand, one leg, etc. Heartbroken, the queens cried. The midwives wrapped the pieces in a cloth and took them out of the back gates to discard the malformed infants. They left the bundle near a forest.
A while later, a rakshasi named Jara smelled human scent and went in search of food. She lived in the same forest and was a meat eater. She saw the bundle and removed the wrappings. This caused the two parts of the infants to come together. Right before her eyes, the deformed parts became a full-bodied, healthy boy. The newborn opened his eyes and let out a loud cry. Jara knew she couldn’t eat this baby.
Meanwhile, the cry reached the queens in the palace, and they felt their breast milk flow. They rushed out to see Jara holding a baby in her arms. The rakshasi managed to shape-shift into a presentable appearance by then.
Brihadratha and his wives reclaimed their son with immense gratitude. The king asked Jara who she was. She replied that she was a rakshasi who could change forms at will and lived happily in his forest. Jara said she was safe in his kingdom and wanted to return the favor by returning the child. Then, she vanished.
The king named his son Jarasandha after the rakshasi who saved his life. He crowned the boy his heir. A few years later, Rishi Chandakaushika visited Magadha again. The king and queens went to pay homage to the rishi, who blessed them and said that he was aware of all that occurred. The rishi said Jarasandha would grow up to be a formidable ruler with no equal and that he would bring other kings under his subjugation.
When Jarasandha was old enough, Brihadratha and his wives took up vanaprastha and went to live the rest of their lives in the forest. Jarasandha achieved all that was predicted by the rishi.
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Dwarka was the kingdom Krishna built for his people with help from Vishwakarma, the celestial architect. Located to the West of Kuru and near the ocean, it was protected on four sides by high hills.
The kingdom was enclosed within gigantic walls and had gates on four sites. The main entrance was called Vardhamana. Inside the gates, the kingdom was neatly planned to accommodate several thousands of residents, with gardens, parks, etc.
The gardens always flourished with flowering plants and fruit-laden trees and resembled the Nandana in heaven. The royal buildings shone like the sun and moon. The city was surrounded by moats filled with blooming lotus flowers. The Raivataka Hill was on the east on Dwarka, the Latavesta (Rainbow Hill) on the south, Sukaksa Hill on the west, and the Venumanta Hill on the north. Krishna personally planted Vaijayanthi flags on each hill to ensure the safety of Dwarka. The Hamsakuta Hill was also located near Dwarka and was sixty palm trees tall and one yojana in width.
One could see the forests of Panchajanya and Sarvartuka from the Raivataka Hill. This was also the hill where the Yadavas celebrated their yearly festival of worshiping the mountain. The forests of Citrapushpa, Satapatra, Karavira, and Kusumbhi surrounded the Sukaksa Hill, while the Venumanta Hill provided great sights of the Caitraratha, Nandana, Ramana, and Bhavana forests. To the west of Dwarka was a large lake named Pushkarini, which measured a hundred bow lengths. Indradyumna was another big lake in the city and was the favorite spot of the kinnaras.
There were a total of fifty gates to enter Dwarka and each of them was fortified with spear-like and circular devices that prevented enemies from breaching or entering without permission. Outside the city gates, eight thousand chariots sat ready for the warriors to drive.
The central area of the city was approximately eight yojanas wide and twelve yojanas long. The adjoining sections were double this size. It boasted eight major main roads and sixteen crossroads with an intricate network of bylanes. The city was well-connected throughout. There were exclusive herb gardens with all healing herbs from Mount Meru. Krishna brought many plants and trees from Brahma’s world and planted them in Dwarka.
Houses had large windows, flags, and colorful roofs. Music was constantly played in the city and in every house. The upper rooms of the houses displayed bird cages and were studded with gems on the outside. The city glittered like a jewel everywhere. The houses were made of gold, silver, marble, bricks, and other items, depending on the owner’s choice. Every house in Dwarka had bells.
The colors used on the walls and houses were shades of gold, white, cream, etc. This led to a soothing and pleasant feeling.
Krishna’s entire palace was four yojanas square and had countless rooms and mini houses inside. The one where he lived was one yojana square with golden-domed roofs designed to suit Rukmini’s taste. Satyabhama’s palace was white with a gem-studded staircase, a lovely garden, and colorful flags. Jambavati’s palace was between Rukmini’s and Satyabhama’s with a main door glowing like Jambu gold and with the radiance of Mount Kailasa.
Sukesi, Suprabha (palace named Padmakuta), Lakshmana, and Mitravinda also had their own palaces. Mitravinda’s palace was blue-toned and made of lapis lazuli, the same shade as Krishna’s skin. Sudatta’s palace was called Ketuman.
Krishna had his personal resting place or palace called Viraja where he spent some time alone whenever necessary. It was one yojana square and decorated with precious stones, flags, etc.
Numerous birds, animals, cattle, etc., were also found in Dwarka, enjoying the beautiful gardens. Many animals roamed nearby in the surrounding forests. The ocean was to the west side of the kingdom.
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