Sugriva's wife, Ruma, whom Bali forcibly took after believing that Sugriva had conspired against him.

Sugriva, seeking help to reclaim his kingdom and his wife, approached Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana, who were in exile and searching for Sita, Rama's wife who had been abducted by the demon king Ravana. 

Recognizing the mutual benefit of forming an alliance, Sugriva and Lord Rama made a pact. Sugriva promised to help Lord Rama find Sita, while Rama vowed to help Sugriva regain his kingdom and his wife from Bali.

In order to fulfill his promise, Lord Rama devised a plan to challenge King Bali to a duel. As per the plan, Sugriva would challenge Bali to a fight, and Lord Rama, hiding behind the trees, would shoot an arrow to kill Bali.

​However, Bali and Sugriva looked very similar in appearance, which posed a challenge for Rama to identify the right target. To overcome this, Sugriva wore a garland of flowers, making it easy for Rama to recognize him.

As the duel between the brothers ensued, Lord Rama, concealed behind the trees, took aim and shot a single arrow that pierced Bali's chest, mortally wounding him. As he lay dying, Bali questioned Lord Rama's actions, asking why he had killed him without giving him a chance to defend himself.

​Lord Rama explained that his intervention was justified as Bali had committed an injustice by taking Sugriva's wife and kingdom. He further added that as the protector of dharma, or righteousness, it was his duty to rectify the situation and ensure that justice was served. 

Bali, realizing the truth in Rama's words, humbly accepted his fate and sought forgiveness for his actions. With his last breath, Bali declared Sugriva as his successor and entrusted the kingdom of Kishkindha to him.

The story of Lord Rama and King Bali highlights the intricacies of morality and the need to uphold dharma, even when it involves making difficult choices. It teaches us the importance of humility, the value of keeping one's promises, and the significance of accepting responsibility for our actions.

​Krishna and Sudama's friendship is a heartwarming tale that is cherished for its portrayal of a bond that transcends social standing, wealth, and power. This story of unwavering loyalty, selflessness, and love teaches valuable lessons about the importance of humility, true friendship, and the power of devotion. The story takes us back to the time when Krishna and Sudama were young boys, studying together at the ashram of their guru, Sandipani. Although Krishna was a prince and Sudama a poor Brahmin, their contrasting backgrounds did not impede the development of a deep, genuine friendship. They supported each other, sharing food, laughter, and life experiences as they grew and learned together.
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As time passed, the two friends parted ways, with Krishna eventually becoming the ruler of Dwarka and Sudama continuing to lead a life of humble means. Despite the stark difference in their social status and material wealth, their affection for one another never waned.

Years later, Sudama, now a married man with children, struggled to provide for his family. His wife, aware of her husband's close friendship with Krishna, urged Sudama to seek Krishna's help. Initially hesitant, Sudama finally agreed to visit his old friend, carrying with him a humble gift of puffed rice, as it was all he could afford.

Upon arriving in Dwarka, Sudama was warmly welcomed by Krishna, who treated him with great love and respect. Their reunion was filled with joy, reminiscing about their childhood days, and catching up on each other's lives. Throughout his visit, Sudama never once asked Krishna for help, his selflessness and humility preventing him from making such a request.

As Sudama prepared to leave, he reluctantly offered his humble gift of puffed rice to Krishna. To his surprise, Krishna accepted the gift with immense gratitude, savoring each morsel as if it were the most delicious feast. Deeply touched by Sudama's offering, Krishna knew of his friend's struggles without needing to be told.
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When Sudama finally returned home, he found his humble dwelling transformed into a beautiful palace, with his family dressed in fine clothing and surrounded by all the comforts one could imagine. Krishna, in his infinite love and compassion, had blessed Sudama with prosperity, without Sudama ever having to ask for help.

The story of Krishna and Sudama's friendship serves as a beautiful reminder of the true essence of friendship: a bond that transcends social standing, wealth, and power. Their unwavering love and loyalty teach us the importance of humility, selflessness, and the power of devotion.

Their story illustrates that the most meaningful friendships are those that are built on a foundation of deep caring and understanding, regardless of one's status in life.

​As a child, Maruti was extremely curious, mischievous, and energetic, always eager to explore the world around him.

​One morning, while playing and jumping about, little Maruti looked up at the sky and saw the Sun shining brightly, appearing like a ripe, golden fruit. Captivated by its beauty and radiance, he decided that he must have the Sun, who he mistook for a juicy fruit, for himself. Without a second thought, he leaped into the sky, determined to catch the Sun and eat it.

As Maruti soared higher and higher, his body expanded, and he covered an immense distance in a matter of moments. Unaware of the young deity's intentions, the Sun continued to shine brilliantly, unaware of the imminent threat. Finally, Maruti reached the Sun and, with childlike innocence, attempted to grab and swallow it.

​However, just as Maruti was about to consume the Sun, Lord Indra, the king of the gods, intervened to prevent the disruption of cosmic order. With a powerful strike from his thunderbolt, Lord Indra knocked Hanuman back down to Earth. The blow broke the jaw of little Maruti. That is how he got the name Hanuman. 

The impact left Hanuman injured and unconscious, enraging his father, the Wind God Pawan, who threatened to withdraw his life-sustaining breeze from the world.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the gods convened to find a solution. In order to appease Lord Pawan, they blessed little Maruti with several divine boons, including the glorious name Hanuman.

He was also blessed with the ability to heal from any wound, the power to change his size at will, and immense strength and wisdom. Additionally, Lord Surya, the Sun God, agreed to become Hanuman's teacher, imparting sacred knowledge to him and helping him understand his divine purpose.

The story of Lord Hanuman eating the Sun offers an endearing insight into the playful nature of Hanuman's childhood and serves as a reminder of the extraordinary powers he possessed. It also emphasizes the importance of guidance and nurturing, as demonstrated by the gods who took part in shaping Hanuman's destiny and transforming him into the revered deity he is today.

In the first story, we encounter Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, who were in exile in the forest. During this time, they faced many challenges, including the task of providing food for themselves and any guests who arrived at their humble abode.

​Lord Krishna came to their rescue. Lord Krishna blessed Draupadi with the Akshaya Patra, ensuring an unending supply of food during their exile.

The second story takes us to Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pandavas. While the Pandavas lived in the forest during their exile, numerous esteemed individuals, including sages, rulers, and advisors visited them to offer guidance and express solidarity.

However, Draupadi struggled to provide the expected hospitality to their many guests, given the Pandavas' impoverished state and the scarcity of resources in the forest.

​Seeking assistance, Yudhishthira prayed to the sun god, Surya, who bestowed upon him the Akshaya Patra, an unending source of sustenance.

Both accounts of the Akshaya Patra's origin emphasize the role of faith, devotion, and divine intervention in overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The miraculous vessel serves as a reminder that when we rely on the divine, our needs will be met, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Whether it was Draupadi receiving the Akshaya Patra from Lord Krishna or Yudhisthira obtaining it from the Sun god, the vessel plays a crucial role in the Mahabharata, showcasing the power of faith and the ever-present support of the divine.

One day, while wandering in the woods, they encountered the great sage Durvasa along with his disciples. Known for his volatile temperament, Durvasa's anger could result in terrible consequences for those who incurred his wrath.

​Out of respect, Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, warmly welcomed the sage and his disciples and invited them to dine with them. Durvasa, pleased by the courteous welcome, agreed to join them for a meal after finishing his ritual bath in the river.

​As the sage left to perform his ablutions, Yudhishthira grew increasingly anxious, knowing they had nothing to offer the sage and his disciples.

​During their exile, the Pandavas had been blessed with the Akshaya Patra, a divine vessel that could provide an inexhaustible supply of food. However, there was a condition: the pot would only produce food once a day, and it would stop providing food once Draupadi had eaten her meal. As fate would have it, Draupadi had already eaten, leaving the Pandavas with no means to feed Durvasa and his disciples.

Desperate for a solution, the Pandavas turned to their trusted friend and guide, Lord Krishna. Sensing their distress, Krishna appeared before them and asked for the Akshaya Patra. Upon inspecting the pot, Krishna discovered a single grain of rice stuck to its surface. He consumed the grain, proclaiming that this small morsel had satiated not only his hunger but the hunger of the entire universe.

As Durvasa and his disciples finished their ritual bath, they suddenly felt completely full, as if they had just eaten a satisfying meal. Knowing that returning to the Pandavas' abode with their hunger quenched would make them appear ungrateful and disrespectful, Durvasa and his disciples quietly left without confronting the Pandavas.

Through Lord Krishna's divine intervention, the Pandavas were saved from the anger of Sage Durvasa.

​This story teaches us the importance of humility and gratitude in the face of adversity. It also serves as a reminder that with unwavering faith and devotion, even the most challenging situations can be overcome with the help of divine grace.

Lord Narasimha, which is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and has the form of a half lion, half man- it indicates the evolutionary process of physical life on earth. 

You can read How Lord Narasimha ridded the earth of Hiranyakashapu’s demonic terror!!

The story of Lord Narasimha clearly indicates that everything in the material creation ultimately has a limited time in existence. Even though one believes that one is clever and has ‘tricked’ the process of creation or the laws of nature- it is not so. Such trickery does not work!! 

The universal laws of Karma impacts everyone and the universal process proceeds and unfolds in its own rhythm.

Lord Narasimha’s fierceness and anger could only be subdued by the loving presence of Prahalad and his true devotion. It is then that Lord Narasimha blessed all the others in the court. 

This goes to show the power of true love and deep devotion- it has the power to counteract and transform even the most challenging of situations. 

If you would like to learn more about the many blessings that one can receive by worshipping to Lord Narasimha, then check out this video titled, Lord Narsimha and the amazing blessings we can receive from within the Hindu Deities: God & Goddesses playlist.

​#Narasimha #VishnuDashaAvatar #Narsimha #VishnuTenAvatars #HinduStory #VedicWisdom

Lord Narsimha is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He appeared to kill the demon- Hiranyakashapu. 

As the story goes, Hiranyakashapu prayed to Lord Brahma, the creator, to receive boons and blessings. 

Even though he was a demon and Lord Brahma knew that being a demon, Hiranyaksha would utilize his blessings to bring about more mayhem, the fact that he had taken on the hardship of prayers and penance, meant that he also needed to receive the fruits of his action. 

So finally, after a long arduous prayers and intense penance by Hiranyakashapu, Lord Brahma needed to give him a blessing. 

When Lord Brahma asked Hiranyakashapu to ask for any blessing, the demon replied that he wanted to be immortal- that he wanted to continue living on forever!!

But, eternity in a physical body is against the laws of creation and nature. So, Brahma told him that such a blessing could not be given and that he needs to ask for something else. 

Then the demon Hiranyakashapu decided to ask for a very clever blessing- he requested that he could only be killed by someone who was neither a man nor an animal. He also added that he could not be killed during day nor night and that he could neither be killed by weapons or any energized means! He could neither be killed inside, nor outside! Lord Brahma granted him this boon. 

This made the demon Hiranyakashapu feel like an immortal- after all, if any man or animal could not kill him and if he could not be killed by any weapons or other energized means, then how could he be killed. When could his death come- since it could not be neither during the day nor at night. And where could he be killed- since he could neither be killed, inside nor outside!!
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Years passed by and his atrocities, influenced by his demonic behaviors continued to reign terror on earth and the heavens… Every win made Hiranyakashapu feel ever more arrogant and infallible. He felt that he was the highest of all beings and that no-one and no-thing could challenge, defeat or stop him!!

As the Divine Leela (blessed, divine play of events) would have it, his son- Prahalad was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. This always aired and angered the demon Hiranyakashapu. He could understand how, his own son would choose to pray to Lord Vishnu and not regard him- as the ‘all-powerful’. 

But Prahalad was wise and knew the true source of light- Lord Vishnu and so continued on with his devotion. 

Because of this, his own father abused and punished him many times to get him to stop praying to Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashapu even tried to kill Prahalad, his own son- but the grace of Lord Vishu, saved Prahalad, time and again.

Finally, out of extreme anger and frustration- Hiranyakashapu called Prahalad in his court. He asked him as to why inspite of all the pain and torture he (Hiranyakashapu) has put him thru, Prahalad continues to worship Lord Vishnu. 

Prahalad replied that Lord Vishnu was the only and ultimate truth and his presence is there within each one of us and in all of creation- in him and also his father… every being, every thing that exists, can only do so, because they have an divine essence of Lord Vishnu.

This angered the demon Hiranyakashapu to no end. He thundered and asked Prahalad that if “his” Lord Vishnu is everywhere, then is he also in the pillar in his court. And when Prahalad replied in the affirmative, a livid Hiranyakashapu raised his gada (a heavy weapon) and struck the pillar to break it. He believed that by doing so, he will prove to his son that his father, was strong and could tackle Lord Vishnu.

But, Hiranyakashapu did not know that his time of atrocities and terror was up!! His time of death had arrived…
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As the pillar broke, one could hear thunderous sounds of a lion’s roar and soon the fierce and ferocious form of Lord Narasimha emerged from the pillar. Everyone in the court got scared and stepped back. They could not fathom this being- he was neither a man nor a beast. 

At that time, Lord Narasimha picked up Hiranyakashapu, took him to the court door-way (neither inside nor outside) and said to him that he- Lord Narasimha is taking Hiranyakashapu’s life while also in complete adherence to Lord Brahma’s blessing. At that time, it was twilight (neither day nor night) and using his lion-nails (neither a weapon, nor an energized tool), Lord Narasimha ripped open the stomach of the demon Hiranyakashapu, killing him and ridding the earth of his demonic, dark presence!! 

The ferocious form of Lord Narasimha continued to roar wildly and there were flames of fire coming from his mouth. Prahalad, the ardent devotee was joyful to get to meet his beloved Lord! As he approached Lord Narasimha, the lord’s fierceness and anger subsided and he lovingly picked up his child-devotee. 

Check out the Symbolic &    Esoteric meaning of this story of Lord Narasimha…

If you would like to learn more about the many blessings that one can receive by worshipping to Lord Narasimha, then check out this video titled, Lord Narsimha and the amazing blessings we can receive from within the Hindu Deities: God & Goddesses playlist.

​#Narasimha #VishnuDashaAvatar #Narsimha #Hiranyakashapu #HinduStory #VedicWisdom   #VedicLegends

Lord Parashuram is considered as the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is the son of Rishi Jamadagni and a Kshatriya princess, Renuka. 
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Legend has it that Renuka was so devoted to her husband that she would utilize an unbaked clay pot to fill water from the river. Her devotion and sense of chastity would keep the clay bound well and it would not dissolve in the water.

But then one day, while she was fetching water from the river, a group of Gandharvas (celestial beings, who are usually very beautiful and appealing) were passing by, in the sky above.

Renuka’s heart filled with desire for just a moment. She immediately retraced her desires, but that moment of indiscretion was bad enough for her pot to dissolve in water. She was too afraid to now go back home and so just waited at the riverbank.

In the meantime, Rishi Jamadagni noticed that his wife had not returned from the river and utilizing his yogic powers he inquired into the situation. 
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He came to know what had happened and flew into rage. He ordered his eldest son to kill his mother. His son refused to perform such an action. Then he ordered his second son and so on. They all refused to kill their mother. Angered by this fact that his sons refused to follow his command, he turned them to stones!

Finally, Rishi Jamadagni ordered his youngest son Lord Parashuram, to kill his mother. Being the obedient son, Lord Parashuram knew that as per his dharma (core moral duty- universal obligation), he needs to carry out his father’s command. Accordingly, he chopped off his mother head with his axe. 

Rishi Jamadagni was pleased that his son was obedient and had carried out his wishes, so he gave him two boons. He said, “Dear son, I am pleased by your obedience. Ask any two boons.”

Lord Parashuram replied that as the first boon, he would like his mother to get her head back and be restored to life. And for his second boon, he would like for his brothers to also be restored back to flesh and blood living beings.
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Rishi Jamadagni was pleased to hear his son’s request and promptly completed the restoration in a smooth way. Renuka and her sons came back to life without any recollection of the horror that they had experienced.

In this way, Lord Parashuram was able to conduct his rightful dharma of being a son, and carry out the required action, and at the same time, was able to bring his mother and brothers back to life with his love and affection.

Esoteric meaning:

At an apparent level, when modern day folks read these Vedic legends, they get quite perturbed. How can a Rishi, a divine light being, ask his own son to kill his mother!! How can the son carry out such a gory act in the name of “dharma”!!

We need to remember that many of these Vedic legends were symbolic in nature and they indicate cosmic mysteries- interwoven with story and moral teachings. 

It is important and interesting to note that Lord Parashuram represents the graha (planet) Venus and we know that Venus represents the ability to produce life (as shukra or reproductive fluids). Venus is also the only planet that has the knowledge of Sanjeevani vidya- i.e. the know-how as to how we can bring someone back to life. 

Though, as Venus, there is another Vedic legend as to how Venus- Shukracharya obtained the Sanjeevani vidya. More on that some other time… stay tuned…

​#Parashuram #Jamadagni #HinduMythology #HinduStories #VedicWisdom

Rishi Jamadagni is one of the Sapta Rishis of the seventh (current) Manvantara. Jamadagni literally means consuming fire.

​Typically, when we think of Rishi Jamadagni, we get reminded of his immense anger- because of which, he had killed his wife and sons. Check out that story here…
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But he is to be thanked for some basic items like sandals and umbrella, which allow us to bear the weather elements.

According to legend he was once very angry with the Surya dev (Sun god) for making excessive heat. As the rishi was also a warrior (prior to becoming a rishi), he was very well versed with various weapons and shot several arrows into the sky!

This scared and terrified the Sun god and he appeared before the sage asking for blessings and forgiveness. Rishi Jamadagni indicated his reason for anger to Surya dev and in response- the Sun god offered two items which would help mankind to deal with his immense heat.
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One of the items was sandals or footwear and the other was an umbrella. As we know, both of these items help us to protect ourselves from the harshness of the weather and the extreme heat of the sun.

​As always, the rishis are kind and are always thinking of ways in which they can benefit mankind. 

​They mull over the many aspects of day to day human life that are challenging to common folks and what can be done that will in turn help and benefit mankind.

​#Jamadagni #Rishi #HinduMythology