King Dasaratha

 

King Dasharatha had three queens as per the custom

prevailing those days. The eldest queen Kaushalya

was a religious minded.good natured and kind woman.

The second queen Sumitra was simple and

peace loving . The third queen Kaikeyee was

very beautiful and intelligent

King Dasharatha loved all of them equally. Though he had

everything, he was not happy because he had no son. To beget a

son, King Dasharatha organised a yajna under the guidance of

Guru Vashishtha. Pleased with the yajna, Lord Vishnu

appeared. The king begged him for a son saying, "Kindly take

birth as my son."Lord Vishnu agreed to answer his prayer.

At that moment, a divine being came out of the altar of the yajna

with a pot of kheer cooked in sweetened milk. He offered it to

the king and said, “Give this kheer to all the three queens. Soon

they will be blessed with sons. Your house will be filled with the

cries of new born babies."

The king took the pot of kheer from

the divine being and bowed to

thank him. Now, the king was very happy. 

He was sure of the birth of children

in the palace. So he asked GuruVashishtha to

permit him to distribute the kheer among the queens.

 Guru Vashishtha said,

“Yes, King Dasharatha, go ahead. May god bless you."

Then the king went to his palace. He divided the kheer into three

equal shares. First he went to the eldest queen Kaushalya and

said, "This kheer is offering of the god. Kindly take it."

Kaushalya took the kheer and ate it.

Then he went to Sumitra and gave her share of the kheer to her.

Sumitra ate the kheer with great love.

Thereafter, the king went to the youngest queen Kaikeyee and

gave her share of kheer. Kaikeyee ate most of the part of her

share of kheer but left a little. So, the king went to Sumitra and

gave the rest of the share to her. Sumitra ate it again.

This way all the queens ate the kheer and awaited good news.

ver since the queens became pregnant, King Dasharatha took

reat care of them. He appointed a number of attendants and

ervants to look after them. The king, the queens as well as the

People of Ayodhya were waiting for the birth of the princes very

nxiously. Besides them, the gods, the sages and hermits were

AIso waiting for the birth of Lord Vishnu on the earth. In fact,

verybody was eager to see the incarnation of Lord Vishnu on

Earth! the long wait came to an end. On the ninth day of the

nonth of Chaitra, Lord Vishnu incarnated as the son of

Caushalya. As Sumitra took the kheer twice she gave birth to

wo princes and Kaikeyee gave birth to one.

The incarnation of Lord Vishnu on Earth made the gods very

appy. Now the sages and hermits were feeling secure. The

King, queens and the people of Ayodhya, all were very happy.

କିଛି ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ (Some questions) Part - 1

 

୧- ଶ୍ରୀଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ରତ୍ନ ସିଂହାସନ ଉପରେ ବନ୍ଧା ହେଉଥିବା ତ୍ରିମୁଣ୍ଡି  ଚାନ୍ଦୁଆ କେଉଁ ମଠ ପକ୍ଷରୁ ଯୋଗାଇ ଦିଆଯାଏ ?

1. From which monastery is the Trimundi chandua attached to Shree Jagannath's ratna singhasana ?

ଉତ୍ତର - ବଡ଼ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ମଠ  

Ans - Bada odia matha

୨ - ରାମାୟଣରେ ଶ୍ରୀରାମ କେଉଁ ସମୟରେ ଏକ ଦୀପଶିଖାକୁ ଛୁଇଁ ନିୟମ କରିଥିଲେ ?

2 - When in the Ramayana did Rama make a rule by touching a lamp?

ଉତ୍ତର - ଚତୁର୍ଥୀ ରାତିରେ 

 Ans - fourth night

୩- ମନବୋଧ ଚଉତିଶାର ଲେଖକ କିଏ ?

3. Who is the author of Manabodha Chautisha?

ଉତ୍ତର - ଭକ୍ତ ଚରଣ ଦାସ 
Ans - Bhakta Charan Das

୪- ହିରଣକଶିପୁର କେତେ ଜଣ ପୁତ୍ର ଥିଲେ ?

4. How many sons did Hiranakashipu have ? 

ଉତ୍ତର -  ଚାରିଜଣ 

Ans - Four

୫ - ସଂସ୍କୃତ ଭାଷାରେ ଆଦିକବି କୁହାଯାଏ ବାଲ୍ମିକୀଙ୍କୁ ହେଲେ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଭାଷାରେ ଆଦିକବି କାହାକୁ କୁହାଯାଏ ?

5 - In Sanskrit, Adikabi is called Balmiki, but in Oriya, who is Adikabi ?

ଉତ୍ତର - ଶାରଳା ଦାସ 

Ans - Sharala Das

୬ - ରାମାୟଣରେ ଶ୍ରୀରାମ  ଭଗବାନ ପ୍ରଥମେ କାହାକୁ ବଧ କରିଥିଲେ ?

6 -  In the Ramayana, whom did Lord Rama first kill?

 ଉତ୍ତର - ତାଡକା 

Ans -Tadaka

 

 

Dasyu Ratnakar

Long ago, in the mythological period there was a robber

named Ratnakar. He used to rob the people in the forest near his village. After robbing them he used to kill them. People

were very afraid of him.

One day, while he was waiting for a prey, he saw Devarishi

Narada roaming freely in the jungle. He asked him to hand over

whatever he had. But Narada told him, “You are opening the

way to hell for yourself by robbing and killing the innocent

people.” Hearing Narada, Ratnakar said in his defence, “I am

doing this to look after my family. It is my duty.” Narada said, “Are you sure that your

family will share the burden of the sin you are committing? Go

and ask them. I will wait for you here." Ratnakar thought for a

while. Then, he tied Narada to a tree and left for his house

Having reached his house, he asked his parents whether they

would share the burden of the sin he is committing to feed them.

They refused and said that they never asked him to rob the

people. Ratnakar was very surprised. When he put the same

question to his wife, she also refused to share the burden of his

sin.

Now Ratnakar was disappointed and sad. He thought, 'I have

been killing and robbing people only for my family. This way I

was opening the way to hell for myself. But my family is not

ready to share even the burden of these sins with me.' He came

back to the forest and untied Narada.

He fell on the feet of Narada and said, "You have opened my

eyes. Kindly guide me to the right path of life."

Narada blessed Ratnakar and said, "I am happy

that you have repented on your wrongs. Now chant the name

*Rama' and you will get the salvation of your soul,” Saying

this, Narada disappeared.Thereafter,

Ratnakar sat under a tree to meditate as

advised by the sage, Narada and started

chanting the name of Lord Rama. 

He did this for many years.

Even when ants made an anthill around him,

 

 he did not move from his place.

The robber Ratnakar later became popular as the great

Maharishi Valmiki

 who wrote Ramayana,

 the great epic in Sanskrit literature.

SHORT STORY OF SHIRIDI SAI BABA

 

Siridi sai

Dhoopkhede is a village in Aurangabad. Its

headman Chand Bhai, had lost his horse. He went

looking for it and soon reached the forest.

Suddenly Chand pattel heard a voice, "Come, sit

and rest for some time. You look very tired.”

Chand Bhai looked around. He saw a young fakir in

white clothes, beard and with a chimta in hand. The

fakir asked, “What are you doing here, my friend ?”

"I am looking for my lost horse," Chand Bhai replied.

"Go and look behind the trees," said the fakir.

Chand pattel saw and found the horse grazing

behind the trees. He thought, "Oh God! Who is this

fakir ? Surely he is a great soul.”

"Who are you, fakir ? I am highly obliged to you for

you have helped without knowing me," Chand

Bhai asked the fakir.

“People call me Sai Baba. Come and sit here. Let's

With these words, Sai Baba put his chimta on to

the ground and extracted a burning ember of coal

to light the fire to keep warm. Seeing this, Chanda pattel invited fakir to his house rest for a while.”

Bhai knew that this was no ordinary fakir.

So

next day. The fakir agreed with a smile and Chand pattel

went home with his horse happily.

The next day Chand  pattel received the fakir at his

home. The fakir asked, "Why are the people

gathered in your home in a happy mood ?"

Chand  pattel said, “It is my wife's nephew's

marriage today. The wedding procession is about

to leave for Shirdi, where the girl stays. Will you

accompany us to Shirdi?”

“Yes, why not, if that's what you wish." said the fakir.

So the fakir went to Shirdi with the wedding

procession. In Shirdi, they camped near

Khandoba's temple. After the wedding, the

procession went back to Dhoopkhede with the

bride but the fakir stayed back in Shirdi. For some

days, he lived under a neem tree begging for food.

One morning, the fakir went to Khandoba's temple

with thoughts of living there. Seeing his Muslim

like attire Mahalsapathi, the temple priest stopped

him at the entrance and said, “I think you have

come the wrong way. The mosque is just at the

corner from here."

Sai Baba smiled and said, “If that's what you want, so

be it." So Sai Baba went and found an old mud walled

mosque to stay in. As Sai Baba walked

away, the temple priest

procession. In Shirdi, they camped near

Khandoba's temple. After the wedding, the

procession went back to Dhoopkhede with the

bride but the fakir stayed back in Shirdi. For some

days, he lived under a neem tree begging for food.

One morning, the fakir went to Khandoba's temple

with thoughts of living there. Seeing his Muslim

like attire Mahalsapathi, the temple priest stopped

him at the entrance and said, “I think you have

come the wrong way. The mosque is just at the

corner from here."

Sai Baba smiled and said, “If that's what you want, so

be it." So Sai Baba went and found an old mud walled

mosque to stay in. As Sai Baba walkeda away the 

temple priest  felt had just met some great soul.

Sai Baba startede living in the old mosque which he

named Dwarka. Gradually, Chand pattel and Mahalsapathi

became Sai Baba's devout devotees and disciples who served

him life long .