Let us continue on the expedition through mandirs or temples in India or U.S. The main motive behind shedding light on these places of worship is to promote these places as vital sources of dissipating energy in the world around us. Temples are also places where people often come seeking blessings, peace, or comfort during difficult times and in times of negativity. There is a need to strongly stand behind and promote these places for all the right reasons. These are the places of solace for countless weak, unfortunate and underprivileged people to seek strength, hope and some light in difficult times. When the times are perpetually difficult, you are perpetually attached to these places of worship. I will feel like a part of my body is removed when you detach temples from my life. This is the bond I developed since I was a child. Right before coming to U.S for two to three years, I was driven from within to visit temple every day or once in two days. It became a habit to visit a temple every day in evening, and I stay amazed how I was driven in such a way. This continued in U.S. as well in a lesser extent as I am fortunate to stay in a mini-India locality where there are 6-7 temples providing me solace during my work routines. This is one of the reasons why I survived for more than 3 years at a stretch in U.S. In this spirit I am all for strengthening these places of worship within my location and in other parts as well. Because these places took a lot of pressure from multitudes in these times.
Let me give couple of examples before moving away. I work as a volunteer in an ISKCON temple without which stint I had to find for something meaningful on weekends. It has been a year or more and this is easier said than done and easy to watch than done. On one occasion, the temple provided a bus for Rath yatra which I took and attended in downtown, and this is easy to watch than done, easier said than done. I am attending a Rath Yatra for a first time and that too in U.S. where there will be little crowd. It is a good experience to participate in this annual ritual. In the days that followed, the famous Rath Yatra in temple town of Puri started in India and I was at a loss in connecting these two – the one I participated followed by the one I saw. If not just about the day of these events, it felt like India within US is leading and pulling India along the way like the chariot. In another temple, there is an elaborate anniversary celebration where volunteers worked round the clock to continue the festivities in earnest spirit. Couple of other temples at times provide an engine for collective aspirations to move ahead with great work. Working within a large canvas like America, these places generate that source of energy for me many a times to contribute to this nation. There are many experiences throughout these three years in this foreign land with these places of devotion where some of these places are newly built, upgraded or enhanced in this time frame. In essence, these places provide an immense output from their tiny representation to contribute to my story and the story of world. Let us fortify these places for all right reasons for this generation and generations to come. Let us earnestly continue our prayers to drive away negativity and bring much needed light individually and collectively; privately and publicly. These places remind this very reason to drive away negativity during these times. I will shed light on a Ram mandir in India in next post to bind our culture and tradition to its roots.
Coming back to the story, we are looking at the tales narrated by Agastya to Rama. Rishi Agastya told Rama how the radiant gem he gifted came from Shveta, a king who became an ascetic and was cursed to endlessly eat his own flesh in Brahmaloka due to not offering charity. Agastya freed him, ending his suffering. Rama then asked why Shveta’s forest was barren, and Agastya explained it was once a thriving kingdom under Danda, the youngest of Ikshvaku’s hundred sons. Danda ruled well with Shukra’s guidance, but the land later became desolate due to future misdeeds hinted by Agastya.
In chapter 80, Danda insults Aruja.
This continues the story narrated to Rama by the great ascetic, born from a jar, describing the downfall of King Danda, who belonged to the Kakutstha lineage. Danda, a king fully self-controlled and powerful, ruled for countless years, overcoming all obstacles. One day, during the beautiful month of Caitra, he visited the serene hermitage of Bhargava. While there, he saw Aruja, the beautiful daughter of the ascetic Shukracharya, walking gracefully in the forest. Her beauty was so extraordinary that it overwhelmed Danda with desire, piercing him with the arrows of Kamadeva, the God of Love.
Consumed by passion, Danda approached Aruja and questioned her about her identity, expressing his longing for her in his agitation. Aruja, addressing him with sweetness, revealed that she was the eldest daughter of the sage Shukracharya, renowned for his imperishable deeds, and that her name was Aruja. She explained that she lived in the hermitage under her father’s protection and pleaded with Danda not to force his attention upon her, reminding him that her father was his guru and that any disrespectful act would lead to severe consequences. She warned that Shukracharya, in his wrath, could consume the three worlds and advised Danda to approach her father respectfully to seek her hand in marriage if he truly desired her, in alignment with dharma.
Despite her clear warnings and pleas, Danda, who was entirely overtaken by lust, responded desperately, pleading with Aruja to grant him her favours immediately, claiming that his life was slipping away due to his overwhelming desire for her. He expressed that he did not fear death or punishment if he could unite with her, pressing her to respond to his passion.
In his frenzy, Danda ignored all moral boundaries and violently seized Aruja in his powerful arms, forcibly satisfying his desire and violating her. After committing this grave sin, Danda hurriedly returned to his magnificent city of Madhumanta, leaving Aruja behind, deeply distressed and sobbing near the hermitage. Terrified and dishonoured, Aruja awaited the return of her father, Shukracharya, who was revered and powerful like a god, anticipating his reaction to the grievous crime committed against her.
In chapter 81, the destruction of Danda’s kingdom can be seen.
After Danda violated Aruja, the daughter of the great sage Shukracharya, the illustrious rishi returned to his hermitage with his disciples, exhausted and tormented by hunger. Upon arrival, he saw his daughter Aruja covered in dust, weeping and dishonoured. Like the moon eclipsed by Rahu, Shukracharya’s radiance dimmed with grief and rage. Consumed by anger over the injustice done to his daughter, he became so furious that it appeared he intended to destroy the Three Worlds in his wrath.
Shukracharya then addressed his disciples, declaring that the time had come to punish the evil Danda for his adharma. He foretold a terrible calamity, born of his anger, that would soon befall the wicked king who had dared to violate sacred dharma. He prophesied that in seven nights, Danda, along with his children, soldiers, cavalry, and kingdom, would be destroyed entirely. He announced that Pakashana would unleash a devastating rain of dust over a hundred leagues, reducing Danda’s territory to ashes, and that all living and non-living things in Danda’s kingdom would perish, with vegetation wiped away under the rain of ashes.
After declaring this curse, Shukracharya, his eyes red with anger, instructed the inhabitants of the hermitage to leave the region and find shelter elsewhere to avoid the impending destruction. The hermitage residents obeyed and moved to safer locations. Shukracharya then addressed his grieving daughter Aruja, instructing her to remain in the hermitage and dedicate herself to meditation while awaiting deliverance. He assured her that during the devastation, she would remain safe by the enchanting lake four miles wide and that any creatures seeking refuge with her during the rain of dust would also be protected from harm.
Accepting her father’s command despite her sorrow, Aruja replied, “So be it.” Shukracharya, having ensured the safety of his daughter, also left the region to dwell elsewhere. As foretold, on the seventh day, Danda’s kingdom, along with his army, chariots, and servants, was reduced to ashes due to the rishi’s curse. The empire, once flourishing and situated between the Vindhya and Shaivala mountains, was completely destroyed because its king had failed to uphold dharma. This cursed region subsequently became known as the Desert of Dandaka, while the place where the ascetics had once lived came to be called Janasthana.
The narration concludes with the reminder that the day is ending, and it is time for evening devotions. The rishis, having bathed, are now offering prayers to the Sun-god, and the sun has set behind the Astachala Mountains. The learned rishis, after reading the sacred Brahmanas together, are engaged in worship, and Rama is encouraged to perform his evening ablutions and devotions, maintaining his connection to dharma and spiritual discipline, as the conversation and story draw to a close.
This concludes chapters 80 and 81 of Uttara Kanda where we had seen Agasthya narrating the story of Danda to Rama. After hearing the extraordinary story of King Shveta from Rishi Agastya, Rama, filled with awe and respect, asked a thoughtful question: Why was the forest where King Shveta performed his penance completely devoid of animals and birds? This question set off the narration of tale on Danda where his lineage was initially discussed. Danda commits an act of adharma over Aruja, daughter of Shukracharya out of lust. This caused the great sage Shukracharya to pronounce his wrath upon the kingdom of Danda. Because the king was not righteous, the empire, once flourishing was completely destroyed. This is the power of wrath resulted from a grave wrongdoing. As Rama takes leave of Agasthya, we can review this tale in subsequent post.
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