Garga Bhagavatham : Vrindavan Khanda - Chapter 13

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Sage Vedashira and Sage Ashwashira curse each other to become Kaliya Nag and Kaaka Bhushundi respectively; Seshanag bears the Bhumandala 

The Videha King of Mithila says:-  Oh sage of Devas! In the world, the feet, whose dust is impossible even for Yogis for innumerable lifetimes to attain, those very feet of the Lord decorated the hoods of Kaliya! I want to know what great penance did the king of Serpents, Kaliya performs in his past life to be eligible for such good fortune. Oh crest jewel among sages, please explain this to me. 

 

Sri Narada says:-  Oh King! This happened long ago! In the Swayambhuva manvatar, a sage by the name of Vedashira, who belongs to the lineage of Bhrigu, was performing penance on the Vindhya mountains. Another sage by the name of Ashwashira came to perform penance in the same ashram. Upon seeing him, sage Vedashari’s eyes became red with anger and he spoke thus. 

 

Sage Vedashira said:- Oh Brahman! Do not use my ashram for performing your penance as it will not lead to good. You are endowed with a wealth of penance, did you not find any other place to perform penance?

 

Sri Narada says:-  Oh King! Hearing these words of sage Vedashira, sage Ashwashira also became very angry and spoke thus. 

 

Sage Ashwashira said:-  Oh Best among Sages! This land belongs to Lord Maha Vishnu, it is neither yours nor mine. Haven’t innumerable sages performed excellent austerities here? You are unnecessarily hissing like a serpent, hence you become a serpent forever and live with the fear of Garuda.

 

Sage Vedashira said:- Oh ill-minded one! Your emotions are malign. You are eager to give immense punishment even for small wrong-doings. To fulfill your desires you keep roaming the Earth like a crow, hence you become a crow.

 

Sage Vedashira said:- In this way, while the sages were cursing each other, Lord Vishnu appeared between them. They were very much pained by the curses they had received. Lord Vishnu consoled them thus.

 

Bhagawan said:-  Oh sages! Just as the two arms are equal in the body, you are both equal in your devotion towards Me. Best among sages! I can falsify My own words, however, I cannot falsify the words of My devotees. This is My vow. VedaShira! When you assume the form of a snake, the marks of my feet will be imprinted on your hoods. At that time you will be freed from the fear of Garuda. Ashwashira! Listen to my words. Do not worry! Even if you are in the body of a crow, you will still have excellent knowledge. You will have the knowledge of past, present and future and your knowledge will be endowed with many Yoga-Siddhis (Yogic accomplishments)

 

Sri Narada says:-  Oh King! When the Lord spoke thus and disappeared, sage Ashwashira became the best among Yogis, Khaagbhushunda and began to reside the Nilaparavata mountains. He became endowed with the ability to spread the entire knowledge of the scriptures and became an extraordinary great devotee of Lord Rama. He is the one who expounded the story of Ramayana to the Great Garuda.

 

Oh King of Mithila! At the beginning of Chakshush Manvanatar, the son of Praachetas, Prajapati Daksha, gave his eleven attractive daughters in marriage to Sage Kashyapa. The best among those women, Kadru has now appeared as Rohini, the dear wife of Vasudeva and the mother of Baladeva. At that time, Kadru had given birth to crores of serpents. Those snakes were extremely fierce, very poisonous, and endowed with five hundred hoods. Their hoods were studded with precious gemstones. Some of them had hundreds of mouths and possessed very potent poison. One among those snakes became well-known as Kaliya, the reincarnation of Vedashira. Among them, the first was King Phaniraja Sesha, who is none other than almighty Lord. He is indeed Baladeva presently. He is the bearer of the names, Rama, Ananta, and Achyutaagraja. One day this happened. The Supreme Lord who is beyond the material realm, Lord Sri Hari, was very pleased and spoke thus to Sesha in a voice as majestic as the thunder.

 

Sri Bhagawan said:-  There is nobody else who has the strength to bear this Bhu-Mondala (universe). Hence you bear this universe on your forehead. Your valor is infinite, hence you will be called as “Ananta”. You have to perform this task for the welfare of all beings. 

 

Sesha said:- Oh Lord! Please decide the amount of time for which I have to bear this universe. For however long you ordain me to bear this universe, I will perform the task as per your order. 

 

Sri Bhagawan said:-  Oh King of Snakes! Every day you chant My various divine names that are born out of My various divine qualities, with your thousand mouths spread in all directions. When the names are depleted, then you can offload the universe and take rest. 

 

Sesha said:- Oh Lord! I will become the anchor for the universe. Who will be my anchor? Without any support how can I stay afloat in the water?

 

Sri Bhagawan said:-  Oh my friend! Do not worry about this. I will become a tortoise and bear your enormous weight my back.

 

Sri Narada says:- Oh King! Then Sesha got up and bowed down to the Lord Garudadhwaja Sri Hari. Then he went one lakh Yojanas below the Paataala loka (nether world) There he lifted this enormous Bhu-Mandala (universe) with his hand and bore it on a single hood. When the Supreme Anantadev Sankarshan went to the nether world all the other serpent kings also followed him by the inspiration of Lord Brahma. A few of them settled in Atala Loka, few in Vitala Loka, a few in Sutala Loka, a few in Mahatala Loka, a few in Talaatala Loka and remaining in Rasaatala Loka. Lord Brahma allocated a place called Ramanakadvipa on the Earth to those serpents. Kaliya and other snakes began living there happily. Oh King! In this way, I have recounted the story of Kaliya to you, which yields both material enjoyments and also Moksha. Now, what else do you want to hear?

 

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