॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Sunday, 1 January 2023 VI.09 - Indra kills Vishwaroopa for betrayal. Tvashta then creates a monstrous adversary to finish off Indra.
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Vishwaroopa was also called Trishiras, the one with three heads. He used to drink Soma (offered to gods) from one head, wine from the second and eat food with the third. While performing Yajnas for Indra and the gods as their official priest, he also secretly propitiated the asuras for whom he had always harboured a soft corner. One reason was that his father Tvashta was one of the asuras in some way.
When Indra came to know that the Yajnas being performed by Trishiras Vishwaroopa on his behalf for the welfare of the gods was being undermined by the same Vishwaroopa who was propitiating and empowering their enemies, viz. the asuras, he was enraged. He went and cut off the three heads of Vishwaroopa and killed him.
Although Indra was so powerful that he could neutralize the negative results of the sin committed in killing his Brahmin priest Vishwaroopa, he decided to perform atonement and went through the process for a year. Thereafter, he requested help from four quarters who would accept the effects of his sin on his behalf, and they were the earth, water, trees and women.
In return for King Indra’s benediction that ditches in the earth would be filled automatically, the land accepted one-fourth of the sinful reactions. Because of those sinful reactions, we find many deserts on the surface of the earth. In return for Indra’s benediction that their branches and twigs would grow back when trimmed, the trees accepted one-fourth of the reactions. These reactions are visible in the flowing of sap from trees. In return for Lord Indra’s benediction that they would be able to enjoy lusty desires continuously, even during pregnancy for as long as sex is not injurious to the embryo, women accepted one-fourth of the sinful reactions. As a result of those reactions, women manifest the signs of menstruation every month. And in return for King Indra’s benediction that water would increase the volume of other substances with which it was mixed, water accepted one-fourth of the sinful reactions. Therefore there are bubbles and foam in water.
हतपुत्रस्ततस्त्वष्टा जुहावेन्द्राय शत्रवे । इन्द्रशत्रो विवर्धस्व मा चिरं जहि विद्विषम् ||
T: Vishwaroopa's father, Tvashta performed a Yajna to create a being to avenge Indra. He offered oblations in the sacrificial fire, saying, “O enemy of Indra, flourish to kill Indra, the enemy, without delay.”
From the southern quarter (considered as Death) came out a monstrous figure who looked like the destroyer of the entire creation at the end of the millennium. Like arrows released in the four directions, the demon’s body grew, day after day. Tall and blackish, he appeared like a burnt hill and was as lustrous as a bright array of clouds in the evening. The hair on the demon’s body and his beard and moustache were the colour of melted copper, and his eyes were piercing like the midday sun. He appeared unconquerable as if holding the three worlds on the points of his blazing trident. Dancing and shouting with a loud voice, he made the entire surface of the earth tremble as if from an earthquake. As he yawned repeatedly, he seemed to be trying to swallow the whole sky with his mouth, which was as deep as a cave. He seemed to be licking up all the stars in the sky with his tongue and eating the entire universe with his long, sharp teeth. Seeing this gigantic demon, everyone, in great fear, ran here and there in all directions. That demon was Vrittra or one who covers everything.
The gods made a futile attempt to subjugate Vrittra. He dispelled them easily. Defeated, as their last resort, the gods went to Maha Vishnu, Narayana.
"Lord. we are all afraid of Time, but Time itself is in your control. Please protect us!"
अविस्मितं तं परिपूर्णकामं स्वेनैव लाभेन समं प्रशान्तम् ।
विनोपसर्पत्यपरं हि बालिश: श्वलाङ्गुलेनातितितर्ति सिन्धुम् ॥
T: "Lord, nothing outside can impress You as You are fully satisfied within Your own inner prosperity. Thus You are equanimous reposeful. Anyone who seeks someone else's help other than You is a fool trying to cross a waterbody holding the tail of a dog!"
"You saved Manu coming as Matsya! Now save us from this Vrittra. You also saved Lord Brahma from being blown away by the primordial wind! Save us!"
"The Lord takes many incarnations. He accepts various transcendental bodies among all types of living entities, and among human beings, He especially appears as Lord Krishna and Lord Rama. He always protects us, gods, from the attacks of asuras. He is the cause of both male and female energy principles in creation. We are sure He will give us His protection, although no one can really see Him in His entirety."
As the gods prayed thus, Lord Narayana appeared in all His glory, surrounded by His attendants. The darshan overwhelmed the gods. They fell flat in front of Him. Then they slowly rose and pleased the Lord by offering Him prayers.
ॐ नमस्तेऽस्तु भगवन्नारायण वासुदेवादिपुरुष महापुरुष महानुभाव परममङ्गल परमकल्याण परमकारुणिक केवल जगदाधार लोकैकनाथ सर्वेश्वर लक्ष्मीनाथ परमहंसपरिव्राजकै: परमेणात्मयोगसमाधिना परिभावितपरिस्फुटपारमहंस्यधर्मेणोद्घाटिततम:कपाट द्वारे चित्तेऽपावृत आत्मलोके स्वयमुपलब्धनिजसुखानुभवो भवान् ॥
T: "Oh Lord, all debates and intellectual efforts to know You are futile, incapable of revealing You, who are transcendental to their physical conceptions. You are one without a second, and therefore in You contradictions like doing and not doing, happiness and distress, are not contradictory. Your potency is so great that it can do and undo anything as You like. With the help of that potency, what is impossible for You? Since there is no duality in Your constitutional position, You can do everything by the influence of Your energy."
"The total material energy is the cause of the material manifestation, but the material energy is caused by Him. Therefore He is the cause of all causes, the source of intelligence and the senses. He is perceived as the Paramatma in everything. Without Him, everything would be dead."
"Lord, You, as that Paramatma, You are the only one remaining."
"Your devotees are the real friends of all living entities. Offering their minds unto You and enjoying transcendental bliss, they are experts in achieving the real goal of life. Oh Lord, You are the soul and dear friend of such devotees."
"Everything and everyone, including human beings and even the Daitya demons and the Dānavas, is but an expansion of Your energy. O supremely powerful one, You have always appeared in Your forms as the various incarnations to punish the demons. We, therefore, pray that You appear today as another incarnation, if You so desire, to kill the great demon Vrittrasura."
"Dear Lord, You are omniscient, and therefore You know very well why we have taken shelter at Your lotus feet. Please save us!"
The Lord listened with His causeless mercy. Being pleased, He then replied to the gods.
"Oh best of the intelligent gods, although it is true that nothing is difficult for one to obtain when I am pleased with him, a pure devotee, whose mind is exclusively fixed upon Me, does not ask Me for anything but the opportunity to engage in devotional service. Lord Indra, all good fortune unto you. I advise you to approach the exalted Sage Dadhichi. He has become very accomplished in knowledge, vows and austerities, and his body is very strong. Go ask him for his body without delay . When the sage with immense compassion gives up his life and gifts you his body, the architect Vishwakarma will prepare a thunderbolt from his bones. This thunderbolt will certainly kill Vrittra because it will be invested with My power. Vrittra is also a devotee and will never be envious of you after this."
॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
