VISHWAMITHRA MENAKA

Tall, strong, with a ram rod like body, he was known as King Kaushik, a great Kshatriya king. With a vast kingdom, men, wealth and sons, he really did not have any wants. Until that fateful day, the day he met Brahmarishi Vasistha and his wish giving cow, Nandhini.

Tall, strong, with a ram rod like body, he was known as King Kaushik, a great Kshatriya king. With a vast kingdom, men, wealth and sons, he really did not have any wants. Until that fateful day, the day he met Brahmarishi Vasistha and his wish giving cow, Nandhini. Thatsingle event proved to be a turning point in his life. It was then that he had taken that vow. "I will also become a powerful rishi like you one day, Vasistha," he had proclaimed, "and whatever hardships it might take, I will fulfill my vow." To attain divinity during this period, men had to meditate or pray for twenty to thirty years at a stretch, in very difficult conditions, to attain such powers. Indra is the lord of senses and his role is impermanent. Therefore he is always wary and afraid of humans who do not difficult penance to attain godly powers. He feels his position threatened. For this purpose, Indra had a number of apsaras or beautiful, heavenly nymphs created from illusion. Some of the well known apsaras were Urvashi, Rambha, Menaka, Hema, Tilothama and so on. The apsaras were ever young, exquisite gems of women.

Coming back to Vishwamithra, once the decision was made, he bade farewell to his family and left the palace and walked towards the forest. After a bath and prayers, he started his meditation. When Vishwamithra sat down for his penance, it was all new to him. Except for his determination and the image of the cow, he did not have much else to start with, but his perseverance prevailed. As days passed and his penance got stronger, he would only get up to lick the dew on the bark of trees and go back to his meditation. ‘Om! Om Namah Shivaya!' he repeated endlessly in his mind. Finally one day he came out of his trance a cam, victorious person with an aura and expression that commanded respect from one and all. Hearing of his success, all the rishis, with Vasistha leading them, came to meet Vishwamithra. "My friend," said Vasistha, always a noble sage, "you are truly a Brahmarishi now." Vishwamithra was overwhelmed by Vasistha's magnanimity. His constant meditation and resulting powers had given him a new outlook and interest towards life. He wanted to delve deeper. Sometimes he was meditating for days on end and then would open his eyes and quickly take some nourishment and again go back to his meditation. ‘Om! Om Namah Shivaya!' His mind could think of nothing else.


Indra did not what to do. This was dangerous. He must stop it somehow. Then he sent for Menaka reluctantly. Menaka knew, she was to be sent on an errand to earth once more. She was not happy and went to her father. "You have work fro me father?" Indra looked at her from the corner of the eyes. He hesitated for just a second. "please go and interrupt Vishwamithra's penance now. Let us not say anything more about it. I wish you success." Soon she was in the forest, standing in front of Vishwamithra and waited. After what seemed ages Vishwamithra opened his eyes. He saw Menaka standing near him, but nothing seemed to register in his mind. He quickly closed his eyes and went back to meditate. Menaka started her usual chores. Only her ankle bells chimed softly to a musical tune. Soon Vishwamithra opened his eyes again. He looked at the girl who was very beautiful, simple and charming in her ways. "Who are you," asked the rishi. "I am Menaka," she replied. "Where are you from?" "Please don't get angry and curse me," entreated Menaka, "I have not come here of my own will. Lord Indra has sent me to stop your penance and it is mu duty to obey him." Menaka told the truth. She did not want to cheat or mislead him. Vishwamithra liked her innocence and honesty. There was also simple charm about her that he could not resist and got carried away by Menaka. Vishwamithra felt that life was good. He felt relaxed and rested, in mind and body.

It was time for Menaka to return to Indra's court. Her mission on earth was accomplished. She picked up her infant daughter and walked towards Vishwamithra. "Take care of your daughter, my lord," she entreated, looking at the rishi, "I have to return to Devlok." There were tears in her eyes. "No, Menaka," refused the sage . "How can I bring up a little child on my own? I live all by myself in the forest, sometimes here and sometimes there." The rishi walked away without so much as a backward glance. It was getting late. Menaka did not know what to do. She looked around. It was also getting hot. She quickly placed the child near a bush, after giving her a hug and a kiss. She wiped her tears. "God be with you," and she vanished. The child slept peacefully inspite of the heat. Sthulakesha, who was a wood cutter in the forest on returning to his hut with a load of wood on his head saw the baby and exclaimed, "What a beautiful child!" "Could it be an angel who had abandoned her daughter here?" ‘From now on, she will be my daughter, and I shall call her Pramadvara.' Pramadvara grew up into a beautiful girl. She roamed the forests without fire and wild animals were her friend.

One beautiful morning, as Pramadvara sat singing on a swing made of the hanging roots of thick banyan tree near the house, she saw a young man coming towards her. "Can I have some water?" asked the young man. "I have lost my way and I am thirsty." Pramadvara ran inside the hut to get the water. As he quenched his thirst, he looked at the girl standing in front of him. And instantly, the boy fell in love with her. "I am Ruru, sage Pramati's son," he introduced himself and asked who she was? "Pramadvara," she answered, lifting her face to look up at him. And that instant, she too, fell in love. "Father!" Pramadvara ran to him and introduced the boy. "He lost his way," she explained. "I am Ruru, Sage Pramati's son," he said, "can you direct me to my father's ashram?" "Yes, indeed!" said Sthulakesha. "Come with me." The next day Ruru came again. Then he came again the next day, and then every single day and everyday they spent most of the time together. Sthulakesha was getting worried. Finally, one day, he made up his mind to go and meet Sage Pramati and tell him what was going on. On reaching the ashram, he paid his respects on the learned one. "Sir," began Sthulakesha hesistantly, "It is your son, Ruru….." "My son Ruru?" the sage interjected in a surprised tone. "…..and my daughter, Pramadvara," ended Sthulakesha. "Um…" the sage began contemplating. "I understand." "Let us go to your house, my man and meet the children." When he saw Pramadvara, he liked her immensely and immediately blessed both of them.

It was decided to celebrate the wedding in a month's time. That was when fate played a cruel role on the young lovers. One day when Pramadvara was plucking berries she jumped to pluck some from a branch high up and accidentally, put her foot down on a snake lying on the grass. Unable to bear the pain any longer, the snake bit her and as she quickly removed her foot, escaped into his pit. Soon the poison spread all over and Pramadvara became blue and limp. When Ruru rushed to her side and found her blue ran to her father and then they both carried Pramadvara to her hut. Sage Pramati got the necessary herbs and started treating her. Ruru was in tears, unconsolable and desperate. "Don't worry, Ruru," advised the sage calmly. But Ruru was filled with remorse and suddenly his anger turned towards the snakes. "I will seek and kill every snake on this earth," he vowed. It was then that Ruru's old friend, Dundubha came to visit him and saw his pathetic condition. Dundubha consoled Ruru, took care of him and helped him to get over his animosity towards snakes. Slowly as days passed, Ruru learned to love nature again because that is what Pramadvara would have expected of him. Yet, his personal loss was too painful for him to bear. "Pramadvara will always be my love." It was a painful cry which made many hearts feel guilty, pointing a finger at them. One of them was that of Menaka's, in far away Amaravati. With tears flowing down, she ran to Yama, the Lord of Death. "Lord," she said in a beseeching tone, "you maust save her, this seems to be one bond that cannot be broken. We must prove to them that Gods do care for everyone, including an abandoned child," Lord Yama smiled and nodded his head in agreement. One day fine day, a holy man passed by Ruru and said, "If you are willing to give half of your remaining life to your beloved, then Pramadvara will come to life." After this he just ran to her hut where he found her alive and talking to her father. She smiled at him as he entered. His very own Pramadvara! He ran to take her in his arms. Soon, they were married with both parents and were blessed.