॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Friday, 7 October 2022 - III.14 - Sage Kashyapa’s wife Diti conceives in a strange circumstance.
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Our shastras lay down pretty much how everything should be done in one’s life from birth, upanayanam, marriage, procreation and death. There are deep occult and mystical insights that drive this. Here is a story of what happens when one is indiscreet.
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After hearing about the wonderful incarnation of Adivaraha or Yajnavaraha and how He killed the original daitya Hiranyaksha while resurrecting Earth, Vidura has a predictable question.
“Oh, great Sage, kindly explain why Hiranyaksha opposed Varaha and had to be killed. How did the demon come into being? Is he the first of the daityas?”
Sage Maitreya is greatly pleased to answer the question. He says Vidura brings credit to himself by his devoted enquiry. He mentions how King Uttanapada’s son (young Dhruva) also had an enquiring mind and by the grace of his Guru, he was able to pray and secure a Darshan of the Lord. Indeed the boy went on to attain the feet of Sri Hari and make a name for himself.
“Vidura, I have heard this “Itihasa” (history) recounted by Brahma himself to the sages who had the same question as you have. Let me tell you the story.”
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“Sage Kashyapa was the son of Sage Marichi. He was a wonderful sage, full of radiance, and hence attracted thirteen daughters of Daksha Prajapati who wed him. One of them was Diti.”
“One evening, when Sage Kashyapa was resting in meditation after having just completed the evening Agnihotra and prayers, he was in an exalted mood.”
“Just then, his wife Diti approached him.”
एष मां त्वत्कृते विद्वन्काम आत्तशरासनः। दुनोति दीनां विक्रम्य रम्भामिव मतङ्गजः॥
अथ मे कुरु कल्याण कामं कञ्जविलोचन। आर्तोरसर्पणं भूमन्नमोघं हि महीयसि॥
T: “Oh, Sage! Kamadeva (Cupid) has possessed me and I want to have intercourse with you right now. Kama has tormented me with my passion stirred, much like an elephant tramples a banana plant. You know that our father Prajapati wanted the best of progeny through his daughters and understood our love for you. Hence you have married thirteen of us sisters. Frankly, I am jealous of my sisters as they have conceived, with your seed, worthy progeny. Oh, sir, you are the embodiment of auspiciousness and have a bewitching lotus-like face. Kindly don’t refuse me.”
“Sage Marichi’s son, Kashyapa, could see how passionate was Diti’s mood from her flow of words. He spoke gently to her.”
“My dear Diti, surely I shall fulfil your desire, what else is my duty.”
सर्वाश्रमानुपादाय स्वाश्रमेण कलत्रवान्। व्यसनार्णवमत्येति जलयानैर्यथार्णवम्॥
यामाश्रित्येन्द्रियारातीन् दुर्जयानितराश्रमैः।वयं जयेम हेलाभिर्दस्यून् दुर्गपतिर्यथा॥
T: “My dear, just as a suitable boat helps a man cross the ocean, a wife brings fulfilment in a man’s life and he crosses over life’s difficulties. Indeed, the wife is man’s half in fulfilling the goals of human life viz. Dharma, Artha and Kama. To tame one’s passions in other Ashramas like Brahmacharya, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa is more difficult than as a Grihastha as the wife can be a great support. It is like defending a city with well-walled fortresses.”
“Indeed, Diti, no husband can repay his debt to a worthy wife like you. I shall therefore fulfil your desire for progeny. However, you should wait for the auspicious time for it. That will avoid calumny from society from being heaped on you.”
एतस्यां साध्वि सन्ध्यायां भगवान्भूतभावनः। परीतो भूतपर्षद्भिर्वृषेणाटति भूतराट्॥
श्मशानचक्रानिलधूलिधूम्रविकीर्णविद्योतजटाकलापः।
भस्मावगुण्ठामलरुक्मदेहो देवस्त्रिभिः पश्यति देवरस्ते॥
T: “Oh, noble woman, at this hour of twilight dusk, the Lord of all creatures, Lord Rudra, surrounded by his terrifying ganas, travels around the world on his bull. His fiercely electric matted locks having been blown by the winds as he travels through crematoria, having smeared ash from the pyre all over his red body, he goes around looking at everything with his three eyes. You know this because Rudra is your brother-in-law, married to your sister, Sati/Dakshayani.”
“Lord Rudra Shiva is equal in attitude to all and he has none dear or distant from himself in this world. He has kicked off Maya, whom we subjugate ourselves to.”
यस्यानवद्याचरितं मनीषिणो गृण्न्त्यविद्यापटलं बिभित्सवः।
निरस्त साम्यातिशयोऽपि यत्स्वयं पिशाचचर्यामचरद्गतिः सताम्॥
T: “Wise seekers who want to tear down the screen of Avidya Maya worship Lord Shiva. There is none who is his equal. But yet, strangely, he roams about like a ghost. This is really a paradox.”
“Only fools who indulge senselessly in bodily pleasures despise Shiva.”
“Why talk of humans, even gods from Brahma downward strictly obey the Dharmic injunctions of Lord Shiva. Maya strictly obeys him. So how does one explain his paradoxical behaviour resembling that of ghosts?”
As Kashyapa was explaining how the time was inauspicious for mating, Diti simply started pulling at his cloth, deaf to his warnings. The sage had no choice. He realised this was a part of Destiny.
After they had mated, he went and bathed and sat down doing Pranayama. Diti had developed remorse for her unthinking, compulsive act. She approached her husband.
“Oh, Lord! I am now terrified. Will Lord Rudra kill my foetus? I pray fervently to him. I know he has a quick temper. May Sati’s husband, Lord Shiva, have mercy on me! Even a cruel hunter will have mercy on a woman, so I pray for Shiva’s mercy.”
Sage Kashyapa finished his prayers and told Diti, who was now shaking in fear. “Lady, your mind was polluted by unholy lust. The moment of our mating was inauspicious. I warned you to no avail. We have offended the gods. Oh, unholy lady, you will beget two sons, who will be evil, cruel to holy men, kill even helpless women and animals, and bring great ignominy. In fact, the Supreme Being, the Lord himself, will come down in avataras and kill them like Indra will strike down the mountains with his vajra.”
Diti saw the silver lining. “Oh, Lord, I am happy that my sons, however evil, will not die by the curse of Brahmins and go to hell! I am glad that they will be liberated at the hands of Maha Vishnu!”
Sage Kashyapa said. “ Yes. Not only that. Since you have shown sincere contrition and prayed to Lord Shiva, one of your sons will have a son who will be a supreme devotee and an ideal worshipped by sages and seekers. His fame will be as great and lasting as that of Maha Vishnu Himself!” This is none other than Prahlada!
¯अन्तर्बहिश्चामलमब्जनेत्रं स्वपूरुषेच्छानुगृहीतरूपम्। पौत्रस्तव श्रीललनाललामं द्रष्टा स्फुरत्कुण्डलमण्धिताननम् ॥
T: “Diti, your grandson will have a direct Darshan (vision) of that Supreme Being Narayana, who dwells within and without all, who has clear lotus-like eyes, who can be seen only by His will, who is the dear husband of Goddess of Prosperity Lakshmi, whose face is adorned with lovely ear-ornaments!”
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Maitreya concluded:
“Having heard that her grandson will be a great Bhagavata, and her own sons, though evil, would be slain by none other than Sri Krishna, Diti regained her sanguinity.”
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
