Monday, February 15, 2016

SWETHA'S STORY



                                                                   
Famous sages and saints like Vasishta, Vamadeva, Kasyapa, Gautama and Narada  took  leave of Sri Rama and went to visit sage Agasthya! They requested Sri Rama to accompany them. Accepting their request, he went on the famous Puspaka Vimana to the famous tapovana of sage Agasthya. He  received  the sages and Sri Rama with proper honor and hospitality. Sage Agasthya prevailed upon Sri Rama to stay for the night at his ashram and leave for Ayodhya early the next morning. He praised Sri Rama as the avatar of Sriman Narayana, the most ancient and the ruler of all creatures in the world! So saying, the sage presented a wonderful ornament of dazzling brilliance made by Viswakarma!The sage requested Sri Rama to accept the gift. He wanted to give away the gift according to the rules laid down by the sasthras.
             Sri Rama hesitated to receive the gift because a Brahmin alone is expected to accept a gift from another Brahmin! He being a Kshatriya should not accept gifts from Brahmins. But the sage convinced Sri Rama and gave away the ornament. Astonished at the wonderful ornament, Sri Rama wanted to know who gave him and how the sage got the incomparable ornament.
             Sage Agasthya recounted his incredible experience and how he came to have this scintillating ornament. On an occasion he went to a forest so dense that no bird could enter. It was full of green trees and of many varieties. Nearby there was a very ancient lake and by its side an astonishing ashram. But, surprisingly, there was none in the ashram! The next morning sage Agasthya went to the lake and to his utter horror saw a corpse on the waters! It was robust and healthy. As he wondered  whose body it was, a beautiful Vimana arrived and a divine person got down from it! He directly entered the lake and ate the flesh of the dead body floating on the waters to his entire satisfaction! Shocked at this strange sight, Sage Agasthya questioned the stranger why he was eating the flesh of the corpse. Though he appeared to be an immortal, his action belied it!
                The handsome Divine being said that he was the son of Sudeva, the famous king of Vidharbha. His name was SWETHA the son of the king’s first wife. Suratha was the son of the king’s second wife! After his father’s demise, Swetha was crowned as king and he ruled the country righteously for a thousand years. Knowing the extent of his life span, Swetha  crowned  his brother  Suratha,  went into the forest and performed tapas for three thousand years! Thus he attained Brahmaloka but could not get rid of his thirst and hunger! He complained to Lord Brahma why hunger and thirst did not leave him though he is in Brahma loka. He wanted Lord Brahma to show him something to eat! Lord Brahma asked him to eat the tasty flesh of his own body! He said that SWETHA had not sowed a single seed in the forest but maintained his robust body! He did not feed any sage or someone who came to him with hunger! Because of this SWETHA had to suffer from hunger and thirst though in heaven! Lord  Brahma  directed SWETHA to feed upon his own fat and robust body to satisfy himself! At length, Lord Brahma said that when the Sage Agasthya comes to the forest where Swetha performed penance, he will be free from all his difficulties!
                 SWETHA told sage Agasthya that he was eating his own flesh for many years! The body has not diminished nor was he satisfied! He prayed that the sage should save him from this ordeal! Swetha offered this radiant and dazzling ornament to the sage with a request to release him from the bondage! Sage Agasthya told Sri Rama that he sympathized with the strange lot of Swetha and accepted the ornament! The moment he received the ornament, SWETHA’s original mortal body vanished  and he left for heaven! Sage Agasthya, thus described to Sri Rama the manner in which he obtained the ornament and by whom!!

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