Dharmic Tales from the Mahabharata - 11 | #dharma #santanadharma #bhagwan #vedavyasa
- YaDu
- May 27
- 8 min read
The Mahabharata is regarded as the 'Panchama Veda' or the fifth Veda, signifying that it encapsulates the wisdom of the Vedas through its stories in a summarized manner.
This article concludes the enduring tale of Nala-Damayanti and offers a more profound understanding of the sacred realm of Shambhala (also referred to as Greater Badrinath or Swarna-swarga Ashram), the Kali Yug, and Vishnu's 10th Avatar, Kalki.
Summary of the Previous Post:
In the previous post, Bhima Raja (Nala's father-in-law) extensively searched for his daughter and son-in-law, offering a substantial reward for any information on their whereabouts.
A Brahmin (spy) named Sudeva arrived in the kingdom of Chedi and identified Damayanti. Upon recognizing her, the queen of Chedi and her daughter Sunanda were delighted to learn her true identity. They quickly arranged a lavish palanquin for Damayanti to return home. Damayanti longed for Nala's return and sent spies throughout the country. One spy, named Parnada, returned with news about a charioteer commander, Bahuka (Nala), in the Kingdom of Ayodhya, serving in King Rituparna's army. Damayanti soon declared a remarriage ceremony invitation (Swayamvara) and sent a message to King Rituparna. Since Vidarbha was far from Ayodhya, King Rituparna called upon Bahuka (Nala) for the urgent journey, and the journey commenced.
The Story Continues...
As Bahuka (Nala) drove the chariot at high speeds, he was utterly speechless upon learning about Damayanti's second 'Swayamvara.' How could Damayanti, who had remained loyal to him through all his hardships and misfortunes, abandon him in such a way? It seemed impossible that his wife, the epitome of purity, would wed another while he was still alive. It simply couldn't be true. He needed to see it with his own eyes to believe it. “Do not worry, my lord,” he assured Rituparna, “You will reach Vidarbha well ahead of time. Trust me.”
The lengthy journey commenced shortly thereafter. The king had never witnessed anyone drive with such speed or command the horses with such expertise. The trees and scenery flew past, and even the birds in the sky were outpaced. Rituparna was overwhelmed with awe and admiration for Bahuka's skill, recalling that only Nala was said to possess such divine mastery over horses. He repeatedly pondered the true identity of his charioteer.
Suddenly, Nala addressed the king, "Your Highness, it's well-known that you are an exceptional mathematician with a deep understanding of numbers. Can you tell me how many fruits are on that tree?" Nala inquired, gesturing toward a tree heavy with fruit. Rituparna chose to indulge this extraordinary charioteer and calculated the number before sharing his answer with Bahuka. However, the charioteer wanted to verify the accuracy of the response, so he dismounted, cut down the tree, and began counting the fruits.
As Nala counted the fruits, the king became increasingly impatient. He doubted that, at this pace, he would ever reach Vidarbha. However, Nala appeared unhurried. To Nala’s surprise, the king accurately counted the fruits on the tree. In desperation, the king proposed, “Come now and teach me the art of horse control, and I will teach you the secret of numbers. I will also share all the secrets of the dice game. But we must act now.” Nala was thrilled to finally have the opportunity he had long awaited. He insisted that the king teach him the dice game, promising in return to take the king to Vidarbha promptly. Once Rituparna shared his knowledge with Nala, Kali departed from Nala's body. Nala felt as if a heavy, oppressive burden had been lifted. All his frailty and insanity vanished. He experienced joy, strength, and self-assurance, as if the darkness had vanished for good and he was filled with light. With revitalized energy, he once again took control of the chariot's reins.
From her room, Damayanti heard the thunderous clatter of the chariot wheels. It was a sound she knew well. Only when Nala was holding the reins did the chariot make such a powerful noise. She glanced out of her window and saw the unattractive charioteer, and once again, doubt crept into her mind. Could Bahuka truly be Nala? She assigned a maid to secretly observe Bahuka. "Tell me exactly what he says and does when he is alone," she instructed the maid.
The maid returned shortly after; her eyes filled with amazement. "The charioteer is an extraordinary man, your highness. Perhaps he is a god in disguise," she exclaimed. She described to Damayanti how she had observed Nala cooking for Rituparna. "He didn't need to strike to get a fire. The wood lit itself, he whispered something, and a vessel filled with water. In fact, he completed the entire cooking without lifting a finger, and oh, what a delightful aroma, Oh Queen. He has prepared food worthy of the gods."
Meanwhile, Bhima was taken aback by Rituparna's unexpected arrival. He quickly went out to find out the reason for Rituparna's hurried visit to Vidarbha. Rituparna, being perceptive, realized there had been a misunderstanding, as it was clear that no arrangements were being made for another swayamvara. Feeling somewhat awkward, he smiled and claimed he had come to visit Bhima since it had been a long time since they last met. Bhima suspected that Rituparna was concealing the true reason for his visit, but he chose not to press the issue. Instead, he warmly welcomed him in true royal fashion.
In her chamber, Damayanti was giving new instructions to her maid. She was almost certain now about Bahuka's true identity. She asked the maid to take the children towards Bahuka's direction, while she looked from the window. As soon as Bahuka saw the children, he rushed to them, embracing them and sobbing bitterly. Witnessing this, Damayanti's eyes filled with tears, and she summoned Bahuka. When he appeared before her, Damayanti spoke, her voice thick with emotion, “Do you know a man named Nala, who left his wife alone in the forest for no fault of hers? She had chosen him over the gods themselves, and he had vowed before the sacred fire to always care for her. Has he forgotten that vow and the promise of eternal love?”
Nala reiterated that he was not accountable for his actions because he had been under the influence of Kali at the time. "But tell me," Nala said with bitterness, "how could a loyal wife and a genuine woman contemplate choosing another husband? That is why Rituparna and I have come here."
"Do you see any signs of preparation for a swayamvara?" Damayanti responded. "It was all a ruse to bring you back to me. Even my father is unaware of this plan." Realizing she was truthful and had stayed loyal, Nala was overjoyed that everything had turned out well and he had reunited with his devoted wife. He then donned the garment given to him by the snake Karkotaka and regained his original form.
Upon seeing Nala in his true form, Damayanti could no longer hold back her emotions and burst into tears of joy. The king and queen mother arrived to offer their blessings, and there was a great celebration.
Now it was Nala's chance to challenge his younger brother to a game of dice. Nala had mastered the game, and Pushkara no longer had Dvapara's help. Slowly, Nala regained everything he had lost. His subjects joyfully welcomed him back to the kingdom. Nala forgave his brother and allowed him to govern a part of the kingdom.
Nala, Damayanti and their children lived happily ever after.
Insights on Kali Yuga, Shambhala & Kalki Avatar:
In Abrahamic cultures, time is often perceived as linear, with the future being more advanced than the past. In Sanatana Dharma, however, time is seen as cyclical, where people gradually evolve, then gradually devolve, only to evolve again. This concept is known as the "yuga cycle," which is divided into four distinct "yugas" or ages. The highest age is Satya Yuga, followed by Treta Yuga, then Dwapara Yuga, and the least evolved age is Kali Yuga.
Kali Yuga — The Age of Materialism; Yuga Purush - Kali (Demon Supremo):
In Kali Yuga, because of the influence of Kali Demon, humans are at their lowest point of spiritual and intellectual development. Individuals typically have the capacity to understand only material aspects and lead lives filled with ignorance. Willpower is significantly diminished, leading most people to passively accept their destinies. Many records of ancient wisdom will be lost. Kali Yuga spans from 3102 BCE – 428,899 CE, it's about 432,000 years. In Kali Yug, energy lies in 'Anna' or food, that's why people can't live without food here. But that was not the case with the people of other Yugas.
Dharma gets inflexible, doctrinal, and intolerant. Although some individuals were aware of higher Dharmic teachings, they had to conceal this knowledge to avoid persecution. People blindly follow religions, which are nothing but impositions of a messiah's beliefs on the followers, in the name of God. This results in religious terrorism. Men become morally bankrupt and financially corrupt, they worship hedonism. Corruption gets normalized, men and even women indulge in adultery and other crimes as well as unscrupulous activities.
Naturally, in every yuga, there are souls whose consciousness aligns with a higher age, and the Kali Yuga is no different, featuring remarkable philosophers and artists. Sattvic people suffer the most from Tamasic people. They pray to Lord Vishnu for relief.
The current Kali Yuga is approaching its conclusion, and a revival will take place with the arrival of Kalki, the 10th avatar of Lord Vishnu. This event will lead to the rediscovery of much knowledge once thought lost. Kalki will vanquish all malevolent souls, while all virtuous souls will find peace and return to Shambhala.
Shambhala is the land of Himalayan Yogis and Demi-Gods, the only place on the earth, that remains untouched by the influence of Demon Supremo Kali. This location is also referred to as 'Greater Badrinath' or 'Swarnaswarga Ashram'. The route beyond Mana, the final village in India located in the Badrinath district, leads to Mt. Kailash mountain ranges, this is referred to as 'Shambhala'.
Bhagwan Vedavyasa (an avatar of Vishnu) and Acharya Madhwa (Mukhya-Prana) are present there. You witness Yogis, Rishis and Demi-gods is performing penance in caves, across those ice-covered mountains. Sometimes, there are mass Havanas and Yajnas for the betterment of the universe. People of Shambhala have respect for divine authority and there's synchronicity with the thought processes of all. There are different regions in Shambhala dedicated to different entities - Demi-gods, Rishis, Munis, Yogis, Rajas and common Sattvic people (liberated souls). Apart from Sanatana Dharma, Jainism, Tibetan Buddhism, Buddhism believe in Shambhala.
Kalki will be born in Shambhala. Kalki will be born as the child of Vishnu-Yashas and Sumati Devi. He undertakes military training from Lord Parashuram (another form of himself). Kalki Bhagwan is also well versed in Vedas, Vedanta and Dharma Shastras. He upholds Varna-ashrama Dharma, the system that connects to the very core of soul (Atman) and enables one to serve Dharma. Note that Varna doesn't refer to caste, it's specific to each soul. We'll be explaining about this in a separate post. So please stay tuned!
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YaDu,
On behalf of Get Inspired Spiritually.
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