Another by TRSI

1.SAGE KANVA 1.1.Introduction Kanva was a renowned rishi. He is the author of several hymns of the Rig Veda. He was son of Ghora. Ghora was one of the Angirasas. The Kanvas are the descendants of Kanva. Sage Kanva brought up Sakunthala daughter of sage Viswamithra and apsaras Menaka. Sankuntala married king Dushyanta.The child born to them was Bharata from whom our country got the name so. King Bharata was an ancestor of Kauravas and Pandavas, who fought the war of the Mahabharata. Sage Kanva offended by Yadavas. Once, some young Yadavas played a prank with Sage Kanva. One day, these grown up children went to the bank of river Narmada where sage Kanva was doingpenance. Samba son of Lord Krishna was one among the Yadava children. Samba disguised himself as a pregnant woman by keeping a pestle under his clothes. All the children went near Sage Kanva and asked him as to when was the pregnant woman supposed to deliver a child. Sage Kanva curses Yadava clan destruction. Sage Kanva got very much angry at their action. He cursed them that the whole clan of Yadavas would be liquidated because of that very pestle. All the children were scarred and told Sri Krishna about the mistake they had made. Sri Krishna ordered that the iron pestle be crushed to powder and be thrown into a pond. A fish swallowed a small part of that iron pestle and was subsequently caught by a fowler, who retrieved that iron-piece from the fish and fixed it on the top of his arrow. Sri Krishna hit by arrow. The curse came in to effect. In course of time all the Yadavas developed enmity among them and killed each other with those sharp-edged reeds. Once, Sri Krishna was taking rest under the shade of ‘Kalpa’ tree. A fowler mistook his pink foot to be that of a deer and pierced it with his arrow. When the fowler arrived at the spot he found Sri Krishna in an injured condition. The fowler regretted his action and begged for Sri Krishna’s pardon. Sri Krishna consoled the fowler by saying that he had committed no crime. 1.5 Srikrisha leaves the mortal body before the arrival of his wives. Meanwhile, Daruk arrived there on his chariot. Sri Krishna instructed Daruk to call Arjuna as soon as possible. Arjuna arrived at the site within a short time. Sri Krishna told Arjuna-‘the time for my final departure has arrived. Please call all my eight queen consorts. Arjuna rushed towards Dwarka to summon the queens but Sri Krishna had already left for his heavenly abode before he could come back with the queens. Arjuna informed the queens about Sri Krishna’s injury. In a short time the news spread like a wild fire and all the residents of Dwarka rushed towards the site of incident. After reaching there, the eight queen consorts of Krishna found that their beloved husband had already departed. 1.6 Sree Krishna’s wives and relatives end their life. The eight queen consorts of Krishna gave up their lives and united with Sri Krishna. The great Yadavas like Vasudev, Ugrasena and Akrur followed suit. Balarama could not bear the sorrow caused by Sri Krishna’s separation and he gave up his life. His wife Revati entered the burning pyre with her husband’s body. Similarly all the rest of Sri Krishna’s family members like Rukmi’s daughter, Pradyumna, Usha and Aniruddha left for heavenly abode. Arjuna performed the last rite of all the dead Yadavas. Eventually, Dwaraka got submerged into the ocean. Thus, Sri Krishna after having liberated the earth from all the sinners left his mortal body. 1.7 Lord Mahadeva tell the story of Kanva’s curse and the end of Yadavas to Parvathi. Lord Mahadeva told the above story to Parvathi in Padma Purana. After completing his story Lord Mahadeva told Parvati that Sri Krishna takes incarnation whenever there is predominance of sin or sinners. Lord also revealed to her that Sri Krishna would incarnate as Kalki at the fag end of Kaliyuga. 1.8 Temples connected with stories of sage Kanva. There are four temples connected with stories of sage Kanva. 1.8.1 Titwala Mahaganapathi temple in the suburban of Greater Mumbai. It is told the Shri Mahaganapati (Titwala) was consecrated by sage Kanva: Devi Shakuntala & king Dushyant came together and worshipped in the temple. 1.8.2 Tiruporur Muruga temple. Tiruporur is a tiny hamlet off Chennai and is situated 16miles from Chengalpattu. It has an old temple dedicated to Lord Muruga; it is famous and attracts devotees from all over. There is a story that Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi were cursed by sage Kanva. Lord Shiva liberated them from the curse atthis place. 1.8.3 Puduvayal Perumal temple. There is a temple for Sri KanakaValli Sametha Vijayaraghava Perumal in Pudhu Vayal Village near Gummidi pundi. Sage Kanva build an ashram on the Banks of Aranya River here and worshipped the Narayana in the form of Sri Kamalavalli Sametha Vijayaraghava Perumal. He did the worship according to Vikanasa Method (Vikanasa consisted of Hitham (Yagnas), Archana and Dhayana. This Shetram was also known as Bridavanapuram as a lot of Tulasi plants grew here. Long ago there was a Gandharva named Sumali. He became a Demon due to curse. In the demon form he was known as Nivdan. He used to create obstacle in the Yagnas done by sages and he used to trouble the Sages. This worried sage Kanva and he did penance and appeased Bramha Deva. Brahma appeared and told Kanva that Sage Kashyapa who was the disciple of sage Vaikanasa was in Naimisaranya. Kanva may go to him and take his advice and please Simon Narayana. According to the prayer done Lord Veeraraghavan did the samhara of Sumali. Sumali got the Sapa Vimochana and Sage Kanva Got Annugraha of Lord. 1.8.4 Digambara Ganesa temple Kadav (MP) In Madhya Pradesh at Kadav there is a Digambar Siddhivinayaka. It is told Sage Kanva consecrated this idol. Since the idol is without clothes it is call a Digambara Ganesha. 1.9 Reference in Ramayana to sage Kanva. In the Ayodhya kanda Sarga 116: Sloka 20.Kulapati told Rama that they are planning to go and settle in sage kanva’s hermitage, not far from there, which is lovely and had many roots and fruits. (Before Seetha swayamvara). 1.10 Contributions of sage Kanva. The Rig Vedic ‘samhita’ or collection of mantras consists of 1017 or 1028 hymns or Suktas, which have been further divided 10 chapters or Mandala. The hymns are the work of many authors or seers called ‘rishis’. There are seven primary seers identified: Atri, Kanwa, Vashistha, Vishwamitra, Jamadagni, Gautama and Bharadwaja. There are no less than six complete recessions of Yajur Veda – Madyandina, Kanva, Taittiriya, Kathaka, Maitrayani and Kapishthala Atharva Veda. 1.11 Kanva lived in the same period of Viswamithra. From sage Viswamitra and Menaka story and the child born was brought up by sage Kanva we know that they all lived around the same time. There is a Kanva Ashram on the banks of river Malini, 42 km from Haridwar. Probably it may be his final settlement. We know him through his Vedic Mantras and through the famous Dushyantha – Sakunthala -Bharata story. 1.12 Dushyanta- Sakuntala story. I very well know a write up on sage Kanva is incomplete with out the story of Shakuntala. I am giving somewhat not much known information about the story here. They may be mostly retelling variations also. However they are interesting to read. Kindly note other than reading from Internet I have not verified the original episodes as told in epic Mahabharata books. 1.12.1 Introduction of Shakuntala to Dushyanta In the hermitage Shakuntala introduced herself as, the daughter of Sage Kanva. The surprised king Dushyanta said, “Everyone knew that Sage Kanva is unmarried and a celibate.” Then Shakuntala recounted the story of her birth. 1.12.2 Shakuntala was not abandoned. Worried by the severe penance performed by Viswamitra, Indra sent Menaka to divert his attention. The King and Menaka enjoyed together for a long time. A girl was born to them. With her birth both Menaka and Vishvamitra realised that it was time for them to move on. Menaka had to return to heaven and Vishvamitra had to begin his meditation a new. Since Viswamithra was living near the hermitage of Sage Kanva, they requested Sage Kanva to adopt Shakuntala as his daughter and sage Kanva agreed to it happily. (My note- I have read in many sites that the relation between Viswamithra and Menaka was one of love and affection. A child born out of such love, I cannot digest abandoned by them. Hence I appreciate very much this version). 1.12.3 Shakuntala laid conditions for marrying Dushyanta. Shakuntala told details of her real birth and sage Kanva is her foster father to king Dushyanta. The King remarked that she should marry and enjoy life. Then Sakunthala said to Dushyantha: ‘Even though I like you, I will obey the sage’s will. A girl should obey her father in childhood, husband in youth and son in her old age. A woman has no freedom. Hearing the above Dushyanta told that Gandharva type of marriage is best suited for Kings. King Dushyanta took hold of her hand. Shakuntala said: “Promise me truly what I say to you in secret. The son that is born to me must be your heir. If you promise, Dushyanta, I will marry you.” Dushyanta readily agreed to make the son born to them as King. 1.12.4 Explanation of Gandharva style marriage Since sage Kanva was away at this time, the two of them decided to get married in the Gandharva style. This consisted of exchanging garlands in a temple with the idol of the deity of the temple as witness. It originated from a clan of celestial musicians called Gandharvas, but was popular and accepted by the society of the time. 1.12.5 Due to customs Shakuntala was not taken along with by king Dushyanta. King Dushyanta spent some pleasant weeks with Shakuntala at the hermitage. Then he had to leave to attend to the affairs of the state. Though they had got married without Sage Kanva’s permission, custom prevented Shakuntala from leaving the hermitage without the sage’s consent. Sage Kanva did not returned still after attending his pilgrimage. Dushyanta promised that once Sage Kanva returned he would come and formally ask for permission to take Shakuntala with him. He gave Shakuntala his ring as a token of his love and reluctantly went to his capital. 1.12.6 Kalidasa has made slight changes to the original story told in Mahabharata to his play “Abhjnana Sakutalam” It is told Kavi Kalidasa made some minor changes to the episode mentioned in the Mahabharata for his play Abhinjana Sakunthalam. While Kanva and the other elders of the heritage are away on a pilgrimage, Dushyanta, king of Hastinapura, comes hunting in the forest and chances upon the hermitage. He is captivated by Shakuntala, courts her in royal style, and marries her. It is told in the original episode in the Mahabharata, Shakuntala was not reunited until her son Bharata was born, and found by the king playing with lions. Kalidasa is said to have changed the old story in three important respects. In the first place, he introduces the curse of sage Durvasa, clouding the king’s memory, and saving him from moral responsibility in his rejection of Shakuntala. For recovery of memory, the curse is modified as to last only until the king shall see again the ring, which he has given to his bride in the second place; the poet makes Shakuntala undertake her journey to the palace before her son is born. The third change is a necessary consequence of the first; for without the curse, there could have been no separation, no ensuing remorse, and no reunion. 1.12.7 About Anasuya and Priyamvada. Anusuya was slightlygrave andsober; Priyamvada was vivaciousandsaucy. Theywonderfully united in friendship and in devotion to Shakuntala in the hermitage, whom they feel to possess a deeper nature than theirs. From the Internet we can get the beautiful pictures of Shakuntala, Anasuya and Priyamvada drawn by Late Raja Ravivarma of Kilimanoor Palace. SUMMARY Sage Kanva is best remembered though the Shakuntala story . He was a sage responsible for many hymens of Rig Veda. He remained as foster father of Shakuntala.