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MAHABHARATA – Part 12 (Jayadratha Punished and Humiliated;

Akshaya Patra, Durvasa’s Visit, and Sri Krishna Comes to Rescue)

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Jayadratha Punished and Humiliated

One day Yudhishtira felt very restless. That was the last year of their exile in the forest.

One day, the five Pandavas went out hunting, leaving Draupadi alone in the ashram.

Draupadi stood in the doorway of the ashram and watched the calm scenery outside. Just

then, Jayadratha, the King of Sindhu, happened to pass that way, accompanied by his

army. He saw the beautiful woman and fell in love with her at once. Jayadratha sent his

friend to find out who she was and whether she will accept him as her lord. Jayadratha’s

friend quickly came back and said that she was none other than Draupadi, the Queen of

the Pandavas. He also advised his friend to forget about her and leave the place as quickly

as possible to be safer.

But, Jayadratha did not heed his friend’s wise advice. He went to the ashram and

introduced himself as Jayadratha, the King of Sindhu, and brother-in-law of Kauravas

(Jayadratha married the only sister of Kauravas, Dussala). He asked Draupadi to abandon

her husbands, and to be his queen. Draupadi’s eyes turned red with wrath. “How can you,

the husband of our Dussala, talk in such a way? I am warning you that my husbands will

slay you. You are treading the path of destruction. Leave this place before my husbands

are back.” Jayadratha ignored all those advises and warning, and took the hasty decision

of abducting her. He grabbed her by the hair, pulled her to his chariot, and started moving

towards Sindhu.

The moment the Pandavas returned to their ashram, a sage told them what had happened

and pointed to the direction in which Jayadratha had gone. The Pandavas caught up with

him soon. Jayadratha’s army fought well. But they were defeated quite easily by the angry

Pandavas. So was Jayadratha who jumped out of his chariot and tried to flee. Bhima and

Arjuna chased Jayadratha and when they came within his hearing, they taunted him for

running away from a fight like a coward. Jayadratha had to stop and fight with them. It

was not too difficult for Bhima and Arjuna to overpower him in no time.

Bhima disfigured Jayadratha by cutting his hair in a comical manner till only fie tufts were

left in five places. Then Bhima and Arjuna led their captive back to the ashram for

Yudhishtira to decide what should be done. Yudhishtira felt sorry for Jayadratha and

thought that Bhima’s punishment was sufficient. “Do not ever do such a foolish thing

again, and go your way!” he said to the shamefaced King.

Jayadratha felt too humiliated to return to his kingdom. To avenge his humiliation,

Jayadratha conducted severe penance in order to please Lord Shiva, who granted him a

boon in the form of a garland which will hold all the Pandavas except Arjuna at bay for one

day. While this was not the boon that Jayadratha wanted, he accepted it nevertheless. Not

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satisfied, he went and prayed to his father Vridhakshtra who blesses him that whoever

causes the head of Jayadratha to fall on the ground will be immediately killed by having his

own head burst into a hundred pieces. There will be more on this story in a future lesson!

Akshayapatra

One morning at sunrise during the very beginning of their exile, when the Pandavas were

worshipping the Sun God, he took pity on their condition, and out of His immeasurable

grace bestowed on them a special vessel, called Akshayapatra. In making the gift, the Sun

God said, “Until Draupadi finishes her meal, this vessel will be full of food; however many

may partake of it. When she has finished and cleaned the Vessel, it can give no more for

food that day.” Thus once every day, the vessel was pouring plenty, until she had eaten

her meal.

Sage Durvasa

One day, the sage Durvasa went to Duryodahana with his ten thousand disciples. Sage

Durvasa was known for his short temper, and throwing curses at whosoever did not obey

his commands. Knowing the sage’s temper, Duryodhana carefully attended to all matters

connected with the reception of the guests. Duryodhana was so lavish in his hospitality

that the sage was gratified, and told him to ask any boon.

Duryodhana felt greatly relieved at having come so safely out of the ordeal and when the

sage asked him to seek a boon, it occurred to him that here was an opportunity of letting

loose the irritable sage on the Pandavas. He said, “You have blessed us, great sage, by

accepting our hospitality. Our brothers are in the forest. Kindly deign to visit them also, so

that they may likewise be honored and happy.” He suggested for the visit a time when he

knew that all the food prepared would have been eaten and none would be left for

unexpected guests.

Duryodhana thought that there would be no way the Pandavas could properly feed sage

Durvasas and his ten thousand disciples. He thought the short tempered Sage would then

curse the Pandavas. This was Duryodhana’s wicked intent. Of course, as the saying goes

“man plans one way, but the Lord plans another way.”

Durvasa appeared before the Pandavas with his ten thousand disciples, just when Draupadi

was resting after her food and after cleaning the sacred vessel, Akshayapatra. Draupadi

welcomed the sage and after proper salutations inquired about their needs. Durvasa told

her that they were all very hungry, and would be happy if they are all fed properly.

Draupadi was at her wits end as there was nothing in her kitchen to offer to these

thousands of pious guests! Unfortunately the vessel that could have solved her problem

was already used for the day and washed clean. Now it would yield the food the next day

only. It was essential for her to make some arrangements as per the command of Durvasa

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lest his curse might prove disastrous for her and the Pandavas.

To buy time, she requested the sage and his disciples to take a bath in the nearby river,

and in the meantime she could prepare meals for them. The sage agreed and left for the

river with his disciples.

Sri Krishna Comes to Rescue

Draupadi was greatly troubled and perfectly at a loss to find food when the sage and his

disciples would return after their ablutions. Perturbed and helpless, Draupadi prayed

earnestly to Sri Krishna to come to her aid in this hopeless predicament and deliver her

from the wrath of the sage. Sri Krishna, in his palace in Dwaraka, heard the cry of despair

of his devotee, and rushed to her forest dwelling. At once Sri Krishna appeared before her.

He said “I am very hungry, bring without delay something to eat and we shall speak of

other things afterwards.”

Draupadi did not understand this unusual demand. It looked as though the ally from whom

she hoped for relief was causing more problems! On the one hand she had called Sri

Krishna for help, and on the other, Sri Krishna himself appeared to trouble her. This

paradox confused her. She said, "O Krishna this is not time for joking. Durvasa has

demanded food for himself and thousands of his disciples. There is not a single grain in my

kitchen. What should I do? How can I resolve this crisis?"

Hearing this, Sri Krishna said, "Oh sister that is why I am asking you to give me something

to eat! Bring that vessel that gives you your food, there must be something in it."

Reluctantly Draupadi did as was asked. Attached to the back of the vessel was a grain of

rice! Sri Krishna put it in His mouth. His hunger was satisfied. Then a miracle occurred. The

Lord of Universe had eaten enough; and with this was satisfied the appetite of whole

world!

Sri Krishna seemed replete with satisfaction after eating his solitary grain and calling

Bhima, told him to go to the river, and intimate to the revered sage that food was ready

and waiting for them. Bhima, greatly puzzled, but full of faith in Sri Krishna, hastened to

the river where Durvasa and his followers were bathing.

On the bank of the river, Durvasa and his disciples suddenly felt their stomachs were full!

They had no appetite left even for a single grain of food. How could they now eat the

meals prepared by Draupadi? “Durvasa knew what it was and he told Bhima, “We have

come here after asking Yudhishtira to prepare food for us, but we feel well fed and full,

and cannot eat anything more. Tell Yudhishtira to forgive us.” Then the party went away.

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Questions:

Who was Jayadratha?

What happened when he saw Draupadi?

Is there a lesson in what happened to him?

Should we restrain ourselves when we want something that is not ours?

What did Bhima and Arjuna do to him?

What did Jayadratha then do?

Did Shiva give him what he wanted?

What boons did he and his father get?

What is the akshayapatra?

Who gave it to the Pandavas?

How did it work?

Who was Durvasa?

What type of sage was he?

How many disciples did he have?

What boon did Duryodhana ask of him? Why?

Which is more powerful, do you think, the arrow of a warrior or the curse of a sage?

Why was Draupadi so upset when Durvasa appeared and asked for meals?

Why did Krishna come when he called her?

What did he tell her?

What happened to the hunger of Durvasa?

If someone has a pure heart, do you think Krishna will come when they call Him?

Lingashtakam

Brahma Murari surarchita Lingam; Nirmala bhasita sobhita Lingam

Janmaja dukha vinasaka Lingam; Tat pranamami Sadasiva Lingam (1)

Devamuni pravararchita Lingam; Kamadahana karunakara Lingam

Ravana darpa vinasaka Lingam; Tat pranamami Sadasiva Lingam (2)

Sarva sugandhi sulepita Lingam; Buddhi vivardhana karana Lingam

Siddha surasura vandita Lingam; Tat pranamami Sadasiva Lingam (3)

Kanaka maha mani bhushita Lingam; Paniphati veshtitha shobhita Lingam

Dakshasu yajna vinashana Lingam; Tat pranamami Sadasiva Lingam (4)

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Kumkuma chandana lepita Lingam Pankaja hara sushobhita Lingam

Sanchita papa vinashana Lingam Tat pranamami Sadasiva Lingam (5)

Devaganarchita sevita Lingam; Bhavair bhaktibhi revacha Lingam

Dinakarakoti prabhakara Lingam; Tat pranamami Sadasiva Lingam (6)

Ashtadalo pariveshtia Lingam

Sarva samudbhava karana Lingam

Ashtadaridra vinashana Lingam

Tatpranamami Sadashiva Lingam (7)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_z4oRinK3E

Sri Venkateswara Stotram

kamalAkucha choochuka kunkumatO — niyatAruNitAtula neelatanO

kamalAyata lOchana lOkapatE — vijayeebhava vEnkaTa SailapatE (1)

sachaturmukha shaNmukha panchamukha — pramukhAkhila daivata mouLimaNE

SaraNAgata vatsala sAranidhE — paripAlayamAm vRushaSailapatE (2)

ativElatayA tava durvishahai: — anuvElakRutai raparAdha Satai:

bharitam tvaritam vRushaSailapatE — parayA kRupayA paripAhi harE (3)

adhivEnkaTaSailamudAra matEr — janatAbhi matAdhi kadAnaratAt

paradEvatayA gaditAnnigamai: — kamalAdayitA nnaparam kalayE (4)

kalavENuravA vaSagOpa vadhoo — SatakOTi vRutAt smara kOTi samAt

prativalla vikAbhimatA tsukhadAt — vasudEvasutAnnaparam kalayE (5)

abhirAma guNAkara dASarathE — jagadEka dhanurdhara dheeramatE

raghunAyaka rAma ramESa vibhO — varadO bhava dEva dayA jaladhE (6)

avaneetanayA kamaneeyakaram — rajaneekara chAru mukhAmburuham

rajaneechara rAja tamO mihiram — mahaneeyamaham raghurAmamayE (7)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7VhEfEud88

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Jumble Words – All words are from this lesson

S P U O I

U P R O

H R W A T

I H L S V A

K C Q I U

A Y R T G I F

E Z P Z U L

N T U T A

V I C T A P E

L M E C A R I

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Coloring exercise: Lord Krishna