Anugraha : His Holiness Shri Vidyadheesha Teertha
Merit accrued to Kunti and Pāṇḍu by accomplishing exceptional deeds. Their merits fructified and they were blessed with highly dharmic children.
At a tender age, Kunti had diligently served Sage Dūrvāsa (an incarnation of Lord Rudra) for 13 years. Sage Dūrvāsa was well-known for his fiery temperament. For this reason, it was generally difficult to be around him, even more difficult to serve him, and securing his grace was a next-to-impossible task. However, Kunti had served him sincerely with a clear inner conscience. Pleased by her service, Sage Dūrvāsa preached to her a divine mantra (spell). Being the presiding deity of the mind (Lord Rudra), he sanctified Kunti’s mind and sowed the seed of the divine spell. Subsequently, Kunti got married to Pāṇḍu, her niyata pati (eternal husband).
Pāṇḍu had a fair complexion and virtuous disposition. As his elder brother, Dhr̥tarāṣṭra, was blind, Pāṇḍu undertook the administration of the kingdom. He conquered lands far and wide and ensured that all taxes were paid to Dhr̥tarāṣṭra. Although he was an able administrator, Pāṇḍu had no lust for power. He renounced his authority and retired to the forests near the holy Badarīkṣētra with his wives, Kunti and Mādri. The place where Pāṇḍu led his life is still around and is known after him as Pāṇḍukeshwara.
An unfortunate incident wherein Pāṇḍu accidentally killed an intimate sage couple brought upon him a curse of death at the very instant he tried to get intimate with any woman. Owing to this curse, Pāṇḍu could not beget children with his wives. Nevertheless, he progressed on the path of spiritual elevation. Referring to Pāṇḍu’s ascesis, Sri Madhwacharya says “tatsaṅgapūta dyusaridvarāmbaḥ sadāvagāhāti pavitritāṅgaḥ”, which means that Pāṇḍu had purified himself by routinely bathing in the holy waters of the river Ganga. Further, Pāṇḍu had cleansed his mind by being in the company of several great sages and noble men who had renounced worldly pleasures and sought the Supreme Lord alone. In this manner, despite the curse, Pāṇḍu had sanctified both his mind and body through rigorous austerities.
However, Pāṇḍu’s lack of progeny became an obstacle when he tried to reach the assembly of the gods. He was stopped from entering the assembly as he had not fulfilled the purpose of his birth. Pāṇḍu was destined to have high-ranking deities as his children. Therefore, the gods expected him to advise his wives to have children through niyōga.
Pāṇḍu had a council with Kunti and advised her to beget children through niyōga. As per her husband’s direction, Kunti called upon superior deities using the mantra preached by Sage Dūrvāsa. The power of the mantra was such that any deity that Kunti contemplated after chanting the mantra appeared in front of her and blessed her with a child.
It is important to note that there are certain prerequisites for any mantra to bear the desired fruits. First, the person must have faith in the mantra. Second, the person must have the blessings of the guru who preached the mantra. Finally and most essentially, the person must have the grace of the Supreme Lord. Kunti is an illustration of how meeting these criteria can bless people with anything they desire.
As advised by Pāṇḍu, at first, Kunti prayed Lord Yama, to be blessed with Dharmarāja as the eldest son. Pāṇḍu then intended to have a son who was competent to protect dharma through fair administration. Such able administration needs the support of two arms: one is physical strength and another is intellectual ability. Therefore, Pāṇḍu asked Kunti to invoke the flawless, knowledgeable, powerful, BaḷitthA sūkta- which propounded Lord Vāyu, the Jīvōttama (the greatest among finite souls). He appeared in front of Kunti. By merely touching Kunti’s abdomen, Lord Vāyu entered her womb in one form and Kunti conceived a child at that very moment.
It must be known that, unlike humans, physical intimacy is not necessary for gods to procreate. Gods have the ability to bless their devotees with children merely with their words or gracious look. Thusly, Kunti gave birth to her second son who was none other than Lord Vāyu himself. It was the culmination of Pāṇḍu and Kunti’s penance that they were blessed to be the parents of Lord Vāyu, who is considered as the right hand of the Supreme Lord Shri Hari.
As per the scriptures, a male child has to be given a four-lettered name. Pāṇḍu and Kunti named their son as “Bhī-ma-sē-na”. Shri Madhwacharya explains that it was divine persuasion that made Pāṇḍu-Kunti to choose this name as it foretold the exceptional qualities of Bhīmasēna.
“Bhīma” means formidable and “sēna” means army. Bhīmasēna is a mighty force which cannot be countered and refers to one who instils fear in the heart of the enemies. Further, he who says “bhīḥ mā” (do not fear) to his “sēne” (army) is “Bhīmasēna”. Bhīmasēna protected his own troops and instilled courage in them.
Sri Madhwacharya mentions that “Bhīma” also refers to one who possesses knowledge in its entirety. This includes worldly knowledge, metaphysical knowledge, and the knowledge of the Supreme Brahman. The Vedas describe Lord Vāyu as “ā śayē dvitīyamā saptaśivāsu mātr̥ṣu”, which means, he who is absorbed in the seven sources of knowledge (the four Vedas, Rāmayaṇa, Mahābhārata, and Pan̄carātra). Further, the word “Sēna” can be understood as “Inēna sahitaḥ sēnaḥ” (one who is with “Ina”). “Ina” is one of the names of Lord Sri Hari, which means the flawless protector and provider for all. Therefore, “Sēna” refers to him who is always in the company of and devoted to Lord Sri Hari. Thus, Lord Vāyu is rightly both “Bhīma” and “Sēna”.
In Mahābhārata, these qualities can be observed only in Bhīmasēna and in nobody else; therefore, there is none equal to Bhīmasēna (Bhīmasēna samō nāsti). We must forever contemplate these qualities of Bhīmasēna and pray that he rids us of our fears and showers his grace upon us.
Enjoyed reading!
Pingback: Bheemasena samo nasti - 3 - Sarvamoolapatrika