Abhimanyu’s son Parikshit was killed by the bite of Takshak Nag due to the curse of a Brahmin’s son. After Parikshit’s death, his son Janamejaya was made king. Janamejaya studied archery and all other disciplines from Kripacharya. Janamejaya used to follow his subjects well as if he were another Yudhishthira. At the same time, there was one monk named Uttanka, Takshak Nag had given him a lot of trouble. Remembering the former hatred towards takshak, the sage came to Hastinapur with the idea of taking revenge from Takshak.
Thinking that Janmajaya can be used to take his revenge, the ardent monk started saying to Janmejaya, King janmejay, you do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done by properly considering the circumstances. This is why at this time you are not doing your proper duty and proper duty is being violated by you at this time. You are not even aware with whom the hatred is and what the retaliation is. Because of not knowing about it, you always behave like a child.
On hearing this story of Uttanka Muni, Janamejaya asked, what kind of a hatred you are talking about. Please tell which hatred I have forgotten. Then Uttanka Muni says, King Janmejay, Takshak Nag had bitten your father and he died because of it. That is why Takshak is your enemy, if you wish, call your ministers and ask how your father died. On hearing this, Janmejaya called all his ministers and asked them the reason for his father’s death. The ministers said, king janamejay, it was due to the curse of a Brahmin’s son that Takshak had bitten your father and he had died. Hearing this, Janmejaya said to Uttanka Muni, sage a Brahmin’s son had cursed, that is why Takshak had bitten your father. Then my father died due to the curse of Brahmin’s son, what is the fault of Takshak in this. Why should I keep enormity with him in vain.
Hearing these words of Janmejaya, Uttanka Muni says, a Brahmin named Kashyap who was knowing mantras to get rid of the effect of poison was coming to save your father. But Takshak sent him back by giving him money. So did Takshak not become the culprit in your father’s death? It is a thing of the past, Rurumuni’s wife was bitten by a snake, at that time they were not even married. Later, he gave his half life span to his wife and brought her back to lofe and vowed that he would kill all the snakes. From that moment , whenever he saw a snake, he would kill it with wood in his hand. Dear King, When Rurmuni has not forgotten his hatred, why are you forgetting the culprit of your father’s death. Your father’s soul is wandering in the sky after death due to snake bite. He has not received salvation, for his salvation you should perform yjna and offer snakes in it so that your vengeance is complete and your father will get good place in heaven.
Janamejaya’s eyes were filled with tears upon hearing Muni’s words. He started saying, “I am really so stupid. My father’s soul is wandering in the sky after death due to bite of snake Takshak and I am having fun here.” Now I must take revenge of my father’s death from the serpent clan. Thinking this, Janamejaya ordered his ministers, you guys should prepare for the yagya soon, seeing the pure land on the holy bank of the Ganges, prepare the altar of yagya there. Scholar Brahmins should be called upon in this yagna. This sage Uttanka should be given the task of being the hota. The ministers of Janmejaya were very intelligent, the ministers started all the work as soon as they got the order from king and also built the altar on the banks of the Ganges. Yajna was started by making Uttanka Muni hota.
When Takshak came to know that Janamejaya had started the serpent yjna, he was afraid and went to the shelter of Devraj Indra. Devraj Indra guaranteed Takshak that he will save him, Hearing this, Uttanka Muni , who took part in the yajna and got very angry and he called both Devraj Indra and Takshak in the sacrificial fire. Takshak then went to sage aastik, who was the son of sage karyakari and requested him to protect him from the yagya of Janamejaya.
Sage aastik then came to Janmejaya’s yagya and prayed to stop the yagna, Janamejaya said, “Munivar, if I stop the yajna, what will happen to my vow.” The sage aastik again prayed the same to Janamejaya, then Janamejaya agreed and he stopped the yagna. After that Vaishampayan ji told Janamejaya the story of Mahabharata but this did not bring peace to the mind of the king. Janmejaya then said to Ved Vyas ji, Munivar, tell me any solution that will give peace to my mind. There is a sort of fire in my body because of the desire to take revenge, because of which I am very distracted.
On hearing Janamejaya’s prayer, Ved Vyas ji said, king I have created a perfect Purana named Devi Bhagwat Purana. After hearing this, a person becomes the eligiblel of getting dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. This Purana describes the pastimes of Bhagwati Adishakti, how the goddess killed Madhu Catabh, Mahishasura, Dhumalochan, Chand-mund , Raktabij and Shumbha-Nishumbha are described in detail. There is also a description of how the goddess had blessed her devotees. You must listen to this Purana, your mind will definitely be calm.
Saying this, Ved Vyas narrated the Devi Bhagavata Purana to Janamejaya. After listening to Devi Bhagwat, Janamejaya found absolute peace and became a devotee of Adishakti.
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Categories: Devi Bhagwat Puran, Mahabharat
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